SBIR Phase I: Nanometer-Level Fidelity in Maskless Lithography

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project will investigate the feasibility of achieving, by means of precision measurement and software corrections, sub-1nm feature-size control and 1nm feature-placement precision using its maskless-lithography tool based on zone-plate-array lithography (ZPAL). Several components of the semiconductor industry currently require nanometer-level patterning fidelity, in particular imprint templates, photonic devices and photonic intrachip communication. Future nanotechnology applications will also require such fidelity. By incorporating absorbance-modulation optical lithography into ZPAL, lithographic resolution below 20 nm should be achieved, enabling ZPAL to outperform electron-beam lithography in the important metrics of: throughput, resolution, overlay, feature-size control, feature-placement accuracy and size of field. This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).