Superlens for 193nm Lithography

Luna Innovations proposes to design and develop a superlens structure that will achieve 30nm resolution at 193nm wavelength for high resolution photolithography used in IC production in military and commercial applications. The unique design of the proposed superlens provides a means to overcome the problem of the absence of natural high-quality metal and sufficiently transparent dielectric materials with close absolute value of the real part of dielectric permittivity. Careful selection of the materials and fabrication processes will ensure the development of a manufacturable superlens structure. In Phase I, Luna will design the superlens and will prove the feasibility through Finite Different Time Domain modeling. A concept of the photolithography system utilizing the designed superlens will be developed. In Phase II, Luna will revise the superlens design, will fabricate a 193nm superlens and will experimentally demonstrate the resolution significantly exceeding the diffraction limit. The key components of the photolithography system employing the developed superlens will be demonstrated. The cost-effective fabrication of the superlens will be shown. By the end of Phase II a prototype superlens and an acceptable quality photolithographic process with resolution approaching 30nm will be demonstrated. In Phase III Luna will team with primes to commercialize the developed technology.