High & Ultra-High Resolution Lithography

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200 nm with Optical Lithography and 15 nm with Thermal Scanning Probe Lithography

  • Description

  • Resolution can be much more than just the smallest achievable feature size. Depending on the application, the defining factor for high resolution may instead be feature density, geometric complexity, line-edge roughness, or critical dimension (CD) uniformity.

    In ultra-high-resolution lithography, where feature sizes below 100 nm are required, the entire patterning process becomes critical. Resist selection, process optimization, etching, and metrology all have a significant impact on the final result.

    The specifications we provide for our lithography systems are deliberately conservative and are readily achievable during site acceptance testing. In many applications, our systems are capable of producing results that exceed the published specifications, as demonstrated in the examples below.

    We continuously push our technologies toward the physical limits of resolution. For example, our optical DWL 66+ system achieves minimum feature sizes down to 200 nm, while our NanoFrazor Thermal Scanning Probe Lithography system can produce isolated features as small as 15 nm using ultra-sharp heated tips.

Resolution can be much more than just the smallest achievable feature size. Depending on the application, the defining factor for high resolution may instead be feature density, geometric complexity, line-edge roughness, or critical dimension (CD) uniformity.

In ultra-high-resolution lithography, where feature sizes below 100 nm are required, the entire patterning process becomes critical. Resist selection, process optimization, etching, and metrology all have a significant impact on the final result.

The specifications we provide for our lithography systems are deliberately conservative and are readily achievable during site acceptance testing. In many applications, our systems are capable of producing results that exceed the published specifications, as demonstrated in the examples below.

We continuously push our technologies toward the physical limits of resolution. For example, our optical DWL 66+ system achieves minimum feature sizes down to 200 nm, while our NanoFrazor Thermal Scanning Probe Lithography system can produce isolated features as small as 15 nm using ultra-sharp heated tips.

Related images

The 300 nm wide channel waveguide coupled to a ring resonator with a radius of 3 µm was written using the high-resolution write mode HiRes on the DWL 66+. Submicron waveguides, resonators and similar microstructures are used in optoelectronics to guide or study electromagnetic radiation. This design was created with the “Nanolithography Toolbox”, K.C. Balram et al., J. Res. natl. Inst. Stand. 121, pp. 464-475 (2016).
The 300 nm wide channel waveguide coupled to a ring resonator with a radius of 3 µm was written using the high-resolution write mode HiRes on the DWL 66+. Submicron waveguides, resonators and similar microstructures are used in optoelectronics to guide or study electromagnetic radiation. This design was created with the “Nanolithography Toolbox”, K.C. Balram et al., J. Res. natl. Inst. Stand. 121, pp. 464-475 (2016).
A tilted SEM image of high resolution nested L-structures etched into silicon. (Courtesy of IBM Research Zurich & Heidelberg Instruments Nano)
A tilted SEM image of nested L-structures etched into silicon. (Courtesy of IBM Research Zurich & Heidelberg Instruments Nano)
Example of a tapered line showing the possibility to resolve 500 nm line width through 1.5 µm thick resist.
Example of a tapered line showing the possibility to resolve 500 nm line width through 1.5 µm thick resist.
A triangular array of alumina dots with diameter of approximately 16 nm was patterned via the high-resolution lift-off process.
A triangular array of alumina dots with diameter of approximately 16 nm was patterned via the high-resolution lift-off process. (Courtesy of Heidelberg Instruments Nano)
A SEM image of a 20 nm gap in between two metal electrodes patterned by NanoFrazor and transferred via the high-resolution lift-off process.
A SEM image of a 20 nm gap in between two metal electrodes patterned by NanoFrazor and transferred via the high-resolution lift-off process. (Courtesy of Heidelberg Instruments Nano)
Densely packed gold pillars for plasmonic applications. The PPA resist all around the pillars was removed by the heated NanoFrazor tip. Ar ion beam etching was applied to transfer the pillars into a 20 nm Au film.
Densely packed gold pillars for plasmonic applications. The PPA resist all around the pillars was removed by the heated NanoFrazor tip. Ar ion beam etching was applied to transfer the pillars into a 20 nm Au film.
Lines and spaces with 13.8 nm half-pitch and 2.3 nm LER (3 sigma) in Si. The structures have been etched by reactive ion etching around 50 nm deep into Si from features written into PPA resist by NanoFrazor lithography.
Lines and spaces with 13.8 nm half-pitch and 2.3 nm LER (3 sigma) in Si. The structures have been etched by reactive ion etching around 50 nm deep into Si from features written into PPA resist by NanoFrazor lithography. (Publication by Ryu et al., ACS Nano, 2017)
Narrow and broader lines contacted to electrodes prepared by electron beam lithography. The pattern was deposited via the high-resolution lift-off process.
Narrow and broader lines contacted to electrodes prepared by electron beam lithography. The pattern was deposited via the high-resolution lift-off process. (Courtesy of Bojun Cheng, ETH Zurich & Heidelberg Instruments Nano)
500 nm lines and spaces patterned with the DWL 66+ and etched into a chrome photo mask.
500 nm lines and spaces patterned with the DWL 66+ and etched into a chrome photo mask.
An ultra-high resolution lift-off process was applied after NanoFrazor lithography in PPA to deposit well defined ellipses made of SiO2 on top of a granular magnetic material.
An ultra-high resolution lift-off process was applied after NanoFrazor lithography in PPA to deposit well defined ellipses made of SiO2 on top of a granular magnetic material.
Gap between two metal electrodes made with NanoFrazor lithography in PPA resist and a simple lift-off process.
Gap between two metal electrodes made with NanoFrazor lithography in PPA resist and a simple lift-off process.
NanoFrazor lithography at its (current) limits. The NanoFrazor AFM image shows inlets with 8.7 nm half-pitch written 2-4 nm deep into PPA. (Pattern transfer was not demonstrated yet at this high feature density PPA structures.)
NanoFrazor lithography at its (current) limits. The NanoFrazor AFM image shows inlets with 8.7 nm half-pitch written 2-4 nm deep into PPA. (Pattern transfer was not demonstrated yet at this high feature density PPA structures.)
High-resolution asymmetrical rings transferred into a gold film via ion beam etching.
High-resolution asymmetrical rings transferred into a gold film via ion beam etching. (Courtesy of Heidelberg Instruments Nano)

suitable Systems

NanoFrazor tabletop

NanoFrazor Nanolithography Tool

  • Thermal Scanning Probe Lithography System

Versatile & modular tool combining Thermal Scanning Probe Lithography, Direct Laser Sublimation, and advanced automation for cutting-edge R&D. 

DWL 66+

DWL 66+ Laser Lithography System

  • Direct Write Laser Lithography System

Our most versatile system for R&D and rapid prototyping with resolution down to 200 nm and professional grayscale capabilities.

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Disclaimer: Translations were created with the help of AI. Heidelberg Instruments does not guarantee the correctness of the translations.

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