System and methods related to generating electromagnetic radiation interference patterns
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| Název: | System and methods related to generating electromagnetic radiation interference patterns |
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| Patent Number: | 8,625,075 |
| Datum vydání: | January 07, 2014 |
| Appl. No: | 12/959128 |
| Application Filed: | December 02, 2010 |
| Abstrakt: | Systems and methods related to the generation of interference patterns using electromagnetic radiation are generally described. Some embodiments are directed to the use of such systems and methods to perform interference lithography. |
| Inventors: | Berggren, Karl K. (Arlington, MA, US); Korre, Hasan (Cambridge, MA, US); Fucetola, Corey P. (Fort Collins, CO, US) |
| Assignees: | Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Cambridge, MA, US) |
| Claim: | 1. A system for generating an interference pattern of electromagnetic radiation, comprising: a source of electromagnetic radiation; a spatial filter; a reflective surface; and a pattern substrate; wherein: the spatial filter is constructed and arranged to receive at least a portion of the electromagnetic radiation from the source, to transmit at least a first portion of the received electromagnetic radiation to the reflective surface, and to transmit a second portion of the received electromagnetic radiation to the pattern substrate, the reflective surface and the pattern substrate are mounted on and/or incorporated within a unitary mount such that the reflective surface is part of or mounted to a first surface of the unitary mount and the pattern substrate is part of or mounted to a second surface of the unitary mount and oriented at an angle relative to the first surface of the unitary mount, and the reflective surface and the pattern substrate are not substantially spatially adjustable relative to each other. |
| Claim: | 2. A system as in claim 1 , wherein the source of electromagnetic radiation comprises a laser. |
| Claim: | 3. A system as in claim 2 , wherein the laser comprises a laser diode. |
| Claim: | 4. A system as in claim 2 , wherein the source of electromagnetic radiation comprises a diffraction grating constructed and arranged to provide optical feedback to the laser. |
| Claim: | 5. A system as in claim 4 , wherein the laser and the diffraction grating are not substantially spatially adjustable relative to each other. |
| Claim: | 6. A system as in claim 1 , wherein the spatial filter comprises a focusing element. |
| Claim: | 7. A system as in claim 6 , wherein the focusing element comprises a lens. |
| Claim: | 8. A system as in claim 1 , wherein the spatial filter comprises a transmission element. |
| Claim: | 9. A system as in claim 6 , wherein the focusing element is constructed and arranged to receive the portion of the electromagnetic radiation directly from the source. |
| Claim: | 10. A system as in claim 9 , wherein the focusing element of the spatial filter is constructed and arranged to transmit the portion of the received electromagnetic radiation directly to a transmission element. |
| Claim: | 11. A system as in claim 8 , wherein the transmission element comprises an aperture formed in a material that reflects and/or absorbs at least one wavelength of the electromagnetic radiation from the source. |
| Claim: | 12. A system as in claim 1 , wherein the spatial filter comprises a focusing element and a transmission element that are not substantially spatially adjustable relative to each other along a focal axis of the focusing element. |
| Claim: | 13. A system as in claim 1 , wherein the reflective surface comprises a mirror. |
| Claim: | 14. A system as in claim 1 , wherein the mount is a rotatably moveable mount. |
| Claim: | 15. A system as in claim 14 , wherein the rotatably moveable mount is constructed and arranged such that, upon rotation, the angle of incidence of the electromagnetic radiation from the spatial filter upon the reflective surface and/or pattern substrate is altered. |
| Claim: | 16. A system as in claim 1 , wherein the system is constructed and arranged for interference lithography. |
| Claim: | 17. A system as in claim 1 , wherein the pattern substrate comprises photoresist. |
| Claim: | 18. A system as in claim 1 , wherein the system is capable of producing a regular pattern that defines an area of at least about 0.1 mm 2 . |
| Claim: | 19. A system as in claim 1 , wherein the system has a footprint of less than about 1 m 2 . |
| Claim: | 20. A system as in claim 1 , wherein: the spatial filter comprises a focusing element and a transmission element; the focusing element of the spatial filter is constructed and arranged to receive at least a portion of the electromagnetic radiation from the source and to transmit at least a portion of the received electromagnetic radiation to the transmission element; and the transmission element of the spatial filter is constructed and arranged to transmit at least the first portion of the received electromagnetic radiation from the focusing element to the reflective surface, and to transmit the second portion of the received electromagnetic radiation from the focusing element to the pattern substrate. |
| Current U.S. Class: | 355/67 |
| Patent References Cited: | 6304318 October 2001 Matsumoto 7304775 December 2007 Hobbs et al. 2005/0094914 May 2005 Gines et al. 2005/0248758 November 2005 Carron et al. 2006/0110694 May 2006 Lin 2008/0175348 July 2008 Marconi et al. 2011/0019175 January 2011 Fu WO 2012/054837 April 2012 |
| Other References: | Moser et al, “Compact self-aligned external cavity lasers using volume gratings,” Proc. of SPIE vol. 7194 71940F-1. cited by examiner International Search Report and Written Opinion for PCT/US2011/057293 mailed Apr. 3, 2012. cited by applicant International Preliminary Report on Patentabilty for PCT/US2011/057293 mailed May 2, 2013. cited by applicant Carter et al., “Interference Lithography,” MTL Annual Report 2003:186-88. cited by applicant Fucetola et al., “Low-cost interference lithography.” J. Vac. Sci. Technol. Dec. 3, 2009, B27(6): 2958-61. cited by applicant Fucetola et al., “Low-cost Lloyd's mirror interference lithography.” Chapter 25. RLE Progress Report 151. 43-4. Believed to have been made available to the public on Jun. 7, 2010. cited by applicant Korre et al., “Development of a simple, compact, low-cost interference lithography system.” J Vac Sci Technol. Dec. 2, 2010;B28(6):C6Q20-4. cited by applicant Korre et al., “Investigation of laser diodes as low-cost sources for interference lithography.” Poster presented with no handouts at the 54th International Conference on Electron, Ion, Photon Beam Technology and Nanofabrication, Jun. 2, 2010. cited by applicant Korre et al., “Low-cost Interference Lithography.” Powerpoint presentation (23 slides) presented orally with no handouts at the 53rd International Conference on Electron, Ion, Photon Beam Technology and Nanofabrication, May 29, 2009. cited by applicant Korre et al., “Low-cost Lloyd's Mirror for interference lithography,” Poster presented with no handouts at the MIT Summer Research Program, Aug. 6, 2008. cited by applicant Korre et al., “The tiny Lloyd's mirror: A low-cost interference lithography system.” MTL Annual Research Report 2010. 3 pages. cited by applicant Korre, “On the development of a low-cost lithographic interferometer.” Master's Thesis, MIT. Catalogued on Dec. 2, 2010. cited by applicant Korre, et al., “Low-cost Lloyd's mirror interference lithography.” RLE Progress Report 152, Chapter 35. (2010). pp. 35-30 to 35-31. cited by applicant Walsh, “On the design of lithographic interferometers and their application.” Ph.D. Thesis, MIT. Catalogued Oct. 28, 2004. cited by applicant Wieman et al., “Using diode lasers for atomic physics,” Rev. Sci. Instrum. Jan. 1991; 62(1): 1-20. cited by applicant |
| Assistant Examiner: | Kreutzer, Colin |
| Primary Examiner: | Ton, Toan |
| Attorney, Agent or Firm: | Wolf, Greenfield & Sacks, P.C. |
| Přístupové číslo: | edspgr.08625075 |
| Databáze: | USPTO Patent Grants |
| Abstrakt: | Systems and methods related to the generation of interference patterns using electromagnetic radiation are generally described. Some embodiments are directed to the use of such systems and methods to perform interference lithography. |
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