The X-ray interference lithography facility at the Swiss Light Source (SLS) is a unique tool to obtain periodic nanostructures with periods as small as 25nm.The beamline provides spatially coherent beam in the Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) energy range. Because of this the technique is also called Extreme-Ultraviolet Interference Lithography (EUV-IL). (Detailed information: PDF, 2.7MB)

Why X-ray Interference Lithography?

• High resolution: 11 nm demonstrated [1]; potential down to sub-5nm region.
• Periodic one- and two-dimensional patterns: dense structures suited for organization of macromolecules over large areas such as guided self-assembly
• High throughput
• Optical process: no charging problem with insulating polymer samples; well established photoresist processes in addition to direct modification of films like SAMs
• Simpler mask fabrication compared to other lithography techniques

First results and applications: 

References

1. Auzelyte V, Dais C, Farquet P, Grutzmacher D, Heyderman LJ, Luo F, Olliges S, Padeste C, Sahoo P, Thomson T, Turchanin A, David C, Solak HH,
   Extreme ultraviolet interference lithography at the Paul Scherrer Institut
   J. Micro/Nanolith. MEMS MOEMS 8, 021204 (2009)
    
2. Turchanin A, Schnietz M, El-Desawy M, Solak HH, David C, Golzhauser A
   Fabrication of molecular nanotemplates in self-assembled monolayers by extreme-ultraviolet-induced chemical lithography.
   SMALL 3 , 2114 (2007).
    
3. Solak HH,  Ekinci Y
   Bit-array patterns with density over 1 Tbit/in.(2) fabricated by extreme ultraviolet interference lithography.
   JOURNAL OF VACUUM SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY B 25 , 2123 (2007)
    
4. Thackeray JW, Nassar RA, Spear-Alfonso K, Brainard R, Goldfarb D, Wallow T, Wei YY, Montgomery W, Petrillo K, Wood O, Koay CS, Mackey J, Naulleau P, Pierson B, Solak HH
   Pathway to sub-30nm resolution in EUV lithography.
   JOURNAL OF PHOTOPOLYMER SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 20 , 411 (2007)
    
5. Stadler B, Solak HH, Frerker S, Bonroy K, Frederix F, Voros J, Grandin HM
   Nanopatterning of gold colloids for label-free biosensing.
   NANOTECHNOLOGY 18 , 155306 (2007).
    
6. Grutzmacher D, Fromherz T, Dais C, Stangl J, Muller E, Ekinci Y, Solak HH, Sigg H, Lechner RT, Wintersberger E, Birner S, Holy V, Bauer G
   Three-dimensional Si/Ge quantum dot crystals.
   NANO LETTERS 7 , 3150 (2007).
    
7. Solak HH, Ekinci Y, Kaser P, Park S
   Photon-beam lithography reaches 12.5 nm half-pitch resolution.
   JOURNAL OF VACUUM SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY B 25 , 91 (2007)
    
8. Olliges S, Gruber PA, Auzelyte V, Ekinci Y, Solak HH, Spolenak R
   Tensile strength of gold nanointerconnects without the influence of strain gradients.
   ACTA MATERIALIA 55 , 5201 (2007)
    
9. Ekinci Y, Solak HH, David C
   Extraordinary optical transmission in the ultraviolet region through aluminum hole arrays.
   OPTICS LETTERS 32 , 172 (2007)
    
10. Goethals AM, Gronheid R, Van Roey F, Solak HH, Ekinci Y
    Progress in EUV resist performance.
    JOURNAL OF PHOTOPOLYMER SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 19 , 501 (2006)
     
11. Solak H
    Nanolithography with coherent extreme ultraviolet light.
    JOURNAL OF PHYSICS D-APPLIED PHYSICS 75 , 1956 (2006)
     
12. Ekinci Y, Solak HH, David C, Sigg H
    Bilayer Al wire-grids as broadband and high-performance polarizers.
    OPTICS EXPRESS 14 , 2323 (2006)
     
13. Stoykovich MP, Muller M, Kim SO, Solak HH, Edwards EW, de Pablo JJ, Nealey PF
    Directed assembly of block copolymer blends into nonregular device-oriented structures.
    SCIENCE 308 , 1442 (2005)
     
14. Heyderman LJ, Solak HH, David C, Atkinson D, Cowburn RP, Nolting F
    Arrays of nanoscale magnetic dots: Fabrication by x-ray interference lithography and characterization.
    APPLIED PHYSICS LETTERS 85 , 4989 (2004)
     
15. Brack HP, Padeste C, Slaski M, Alkan S, Solak HH
    Preparation of micro- and nanopatterns of polymer chains grafted onto flexible polymer substrates.
    JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY 126 , 1004 (2004)
     
16. S. O. Kim, H. H. Solak, M. P. Stoykovich, N. J. Ferrier, J. J. de Pablo, and P. F. Nealey,
    Epitaxial self-assembly of block copolymers on lithographically defined nanopatterned substrates, NATURE 424, 411 (2003).

Contact Information: Dr. Yasin Ekinci, e-mail: yasin.ekinci psi.ch