Extreme ultraviolet/soft X-ray laser nano-scale patterning using the demagnified talbot effect

Abstract

An apparatus and method for nanopatterning of substrates using the demagnified Talbot effect, wherein: (a) large arrays of nanostructures can rapidly be printed; (b) short extreme ultraviolet wavelengths permits sub-100 nm spatial resolution; (c) the de-magnification factor can be continuously adjusted, that is, continuously scaled; (d) the patterning is the effect of the collective diffraction of numerous tiled units that constitute the periodic array, giving rise to error resistance such that a defect in one unit is averaged over the area of the mask and the print does not show any defects; (e) the Talbot mask does not wear out since the method is non-contact; and (f) the feature sizes on the mask do not have to be as small as the feature sizes desired on the target, are described. The apparatus includes a source of coherent radiation having a chosen wavelength directed onto a focusing optic, the reflected converging light passing through a Talbot mask and impinging on a target substrate.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.