3D Micro‐ and Nanostructures via Interference Lithography

Abstract

Interference lithography (IL) holds the promise of fabricating large‐area, defect‐free 3D structures on the submicrometer scale both rapidly and cheaply. A stationary spatial variation of intensity is created by the interference of two or more beams of light. The pattern that emerges out of the intensity distribution is transferred to a light sensitive medium, such as a photoresist, and after development yields a 3D bicontinuous photoresist/air structure. Importantly, by a proper choice of beam parameters one can control the geometrical elements and volume fraction of the structures. This article provides an overview of the fabrication of 3D structures via IL (e.g., the formation of interference patterns, their dependence on beam parameters and several requirements for the photoresist) and highlights some of our recent efforts in the applications of these 3D structures in photonic crystals, phononic crystals and as microframes, and for the synthesis of highly non spherical polymer particles. Our discussion concludes with perspectives on the future directions in which this technique could be pursued.

Document Details

Document Type
Pub Defense Publication
Publication Date
Oct 05, 2007
Source ID
10.1002/adfm.200700140

Entities

People

  • C. K. Ullal
  • C. Koh
  • E. L. Thomas
  • J.‐h. Jang
  • Martin Maldovan
  • S. Kooi
  • T. Gorishnyy

Organizations

  • Army Research Office
  • National Science Foundation

Tags

Readers

  • Electromagnetic Wave Scattering and Antenna Radiation Engineering
  • Nanofabrication and Microfabrication.
  • Quantum Dot Semiconductor Device Photonics and Graphene Optoelectronic Materials and THz Physics.

Technology Areas

  • Microelectronics