Coma measurement using a PSM and transmission image sensor

As feature size decreases, especially with the use of resolution enhancement technique, requirements for the coma aberrations in the projection lenses of the lithographic tools have become extremely severe. So, fast and accurate in situ measurement of coma is necessary. In the present paper, we present a new method for characterizing the coma aberrations in the projection lens using a phase-shifting mask and a transmission image sensor. By measuring the image positions at multiple NA and partial coherence settings, we are able to extract the coma aberration. The simulation results show that the accuracy of coma measurement increases approximately 20% compared to the previous straightforward measurement technique. (c) 2005 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

A novel FOCAL technique based on BP-ANN

In this paper, the feed-forward back-propagation artificial neural network (BP-ANN) algorithm is introduced in the traditional Focus Calibration using Alignment procedure (FOCAL) technique, and a novel FOCAL technique based on BP-ANN is proposed. The effects of the parameters, such as the number of neurons on the hidden-layer and the number of training epochs, on the measurement accuracy are analyzed in detail. It is proved that the novel FOCAL technique based on BP-ANN is more reliable and it is a better choice for measurement of the image quality parameters. (c) 2005 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

一种新的光刻机像质参数热漂移检测技术

提出了一种新的光刻机像质参数热漂移原位检测技术（TDFM）。详细分析了该技术利用镜像测试标记检测投影物镜最佳焦面热漂移与放大倍率热漂移的基本原理。实验结果表明TDFM技术可同时实现最佳焦面热漂移（FFT）与放大倍率热漂移（MFT）的精确测量。与现有的放大倍率热漂移检测技术相比，该技术有效地解决了放大倍率热漂移技术中放大倍率热漂移受最佳焦面热漂移影响的问题，简化了光刻机像质参数前馈校正的测试过程，测试成本与耗时均减少50％。

光学光刻中的离轴照明技术

本文讨论了光学光刻中的离轴照明技术。主要从改善光刻分辨率、增大焦深、提高空间像对比度等方面对离轴照明与传统照明作了比较，并用Prolith仿真软件进行了模拟分析。研究表明，离轴照明是一种很有效的光刻分辨率增强技术。

国际主流光刻机研发的最新进展

介绍了65 nm和45 nm节点国际主流光刻机的最新研发进展，重点分析了目前提高光刻机性能的关键技术，讨论了目前各公司的主流机型及其性能参数，最后简要介绍了下一代光刻技术的研究进展。

Coma measurement by use of an alternating phase-shifting mask mark with a specific phase width

The correlation between the coma sensitivity of the alternating phase-shifting mask (Alt-PSM) mark and the mark's structure is studied based on the Hopkins theory of partially coherent imaging and positive resist optical lithography (PROLITH) simulation. It is found that an optimized Alt-PSM mark with its phase width being two-thirds its pitch has a higher sensitivity to coma than Alt-PSM marks with the same pitch and the different phase widths. The pitch of the Alt-PSM mark is also optimized by PROLITH simulation, and the structure of p - 1.92 lambda/NA and pw = 2p/3 proves to be with the highest sensitivity. The optimized Alt-PSM mark is used as a measurement mark to retrieve coma aberration from the projection optics in lithographic tools. In comparison with an ordinary Alt-PSM mark with its phase width being a half its pitch, the measurement accuracies of Z(7) and Z(14) apparently increase. (C) 2009 Optical Society of America

Even aberration measurement of lithographic projection system based on optimized phase-shifting marks

In the present paper, we propose a novel method for measuring the even aberrations of lithographic projection optics by use of optimized phase-shifting marks on the test mask. The line/space ratio of the phase-shifting marks is optimized to obtain the maximum sensitivities of Zernike coefficients corresponding to even aberrations. Spherical aberration and astigmatism can be calculated from the focus shifts of phase-shifting gratings oriented at 0 degrees, 45 degrees, 90 degrees and 135 degrees at multiple illumination settings. The PROLITH simulation results show that, the measurement accuracy of spherical aberration and astigmatism obviously increase, after the optimization of the measurement mark. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

一种新型聚合物微透镜阵列的制造技术

提出了一种利用软模压印制备微透镜阵列的技术。采用传统的光刻胶热熔方法制备微透镜阵列母板,利用复制模具的方法在聚二甲基硅氧烷(PDMS)上得到一个和母板表面图形相反的模具,最后通过压印的方法把PDMS模具上的图形转移到涂有紫外固化胶的玻璃基片上,待紫外胶完全固化后可得到和母板一致的微透镜阵列。经过测试微透镜阵列的焦点图像和表面形貌可发现最后制备的微透镜阵列表面形貌均匀、聚焦性能良好、光强均匀。

Dynamic readout of subdiffraction-limited pit arrays with a silver superlens

Recent theoretical and experimental results suggested that the silver superlens could be constructed through controlling silver thin film thickness and preparation conditions, and applied in subdiffraction-limited optical imaging and optical lithography. In this work, we report another significant application of silver superlens-ultrahigh density optical data storage. With the silver superlens the subdiffraction-limited pit arrays on an optical disk are dynamically read out and the carrier-to-noise ratio can reach 25 dB for the thin film thickness of 46 nm. The readout laser power and readout velocity have little effect on the carrier-to-noise ratio. Additionally, in our experiment the silver thin film thickness needs to be controlled in the range from 20 to 80 nm.

Rigorous transmittance analysis of a sub-wavelength Sb thin film lens

We quantitatively analysed the factors contributing to the optical transmission enhancement of a sub-wavelength Sb thin film lens, using the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method. The results show that the transmission enhancement of the dielectric with a Gaussian distributed refractive index loaded in a sub-wavelength circular hole is not only due to the high refractive index dielectric, but also due to the specific distributions of refractive index. It is the first study about the effects of the refractive index distribution on the transmission of a sub-wavelength aperture. This kind of lens has practical applications in the very small aperture lasers and for near-field optical storage and lithography.

积分棒在步进扫描投影光刻系统中的应用

从几何光学角度讨论了积分棒的匀光原理，介绍了积分棒在步进扫描投影光刻系统中的应用,分析了积分棒入射光束的数值孔径对刀口狭缝面上光强分布的影响，得到了积分棒尺寸与刀口狭缝面上照明视场的关系，为步进扫描投影光刻系统中积分棒的设计提供了依据。

激光晶体的现状及发展趋势

在分析激光晶体的研究现状的基础上，指出其未来应用及主要发展趋势：面向先进制造技术、激光武器等应用的（1μm波段）高功率、大能量激光晶体；面向人眼安全、遥感、光通讯、医疗等应用的红外激光晶体；面向全色显示、光刻等应用的蓝绿紫和可见光激光晶体；LD泵浦超快激光增益和放大介质材料．

Electron emission from arrays of carbon nanotubes/fibres

The overall aim of this work is to produce arrays of field emitting microguns, based on carbon nanotubes, which can be utilised in the manufacture of large area field emitting displays, parallel e-beam lithography systems and electron sources for high frequency amplifiers. This paper will describe the work carried out to produce patterned arrays of aligned multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) using a dc plasma technique and a Ni catalyst. We will discuss how the density of the carbon nanotube/fibres can be varied by reducing the deposition yield through nickel interaction with a diffusion layer or by direct lithographic patterning of the Ni catalyst to precisely define the position of each nanotube/fibre. Details of the field emission behaviour of the different arrays of MWCNTS will also be presented. © 2002 Published by Elsevier Science B.V.

Transparent liquid-crystal-based microlens array using vertically aligned carbon nanofiber electrodes on quartz substrates.

A novel transparent liquid-crystal-based microlens array has been fabricated using an array of vertically aligned multi-wall carbon nanofibers (MWCNFs) on a quartz substrate and its optical characteristics investigated. Electron beam lithography was used for the catalyst patterning on a quartz substrate to grow the MWCNF array of electrodes. The structure of the electrode array was determined through simulation to achieve the best optical performance. Both the patterned catalyst and growth parameters were optimized for optimal MWCNF properties. We report an in-depth optical characterization of these reconfigurable hybrid liquid crystal and nanofiber microlens arrays.

Near-ultraviolet zinc oxide nanowire sensor using low temperature hydrothermal growth.

Two near-ultraviolet (UV) sensors based on solution-grown zinc oxide (ZnO) nanowires (NWs) which are only sensitive to photo-excitation at or below 400 nm wavelength have been fabricated and characterized. Both devices keep all processing steps, including nanowire growth, under 100 °C for compatibility with a wide variety of substrates. The first device type uses a single optical lithography step process to allow simultaneous in situ horizontal NW growth from solution and creation of symmetric ohmic contacts to the nanowires. The second device type uses a two-mask optical lithography process to create asymmetric ohmic and Schottky contacts. For the symmetric ohmic contacts, at a voltage bias of 1 V across the device, we observed a 29-fold increase in current in comparison to dark current when the NWs were photo-excited by a 400 nm light-emitting diode (LED) at 0.15 mW cm(-2) with a relaxation time constant (τ) ranging from 50 to 555 s. For the asymmetric ohmic and Schottky contacts under 400 nm excitation, τ is measured between 0.5 and 1.4 s over varying time internals, which is ~2 orders of magnitude faster than the devices using symmetric ohmic contacts.