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17 Jun 2002
German-based project, UV-Nanoimprint, creates 15 nm structures using a light-based lithographic stamp.
Courtesy of Opto & Laser Europe (OLE) magazine
The method could prove to be a viable alternative to expensive procedures, such as X-ray and extreme-ultraviolet lithography, which are currently slated to produce the next generation of silicon-based chips.
The project, coordinated by Boris Vratzov of the Advanced Microelectronic Centre, Aachen, also includes German companies Robert Bosch and Raith.
The UV-Nanoimprint method is similar to the hot-embossing nanoimprint-lithography technique, but, by contrast, the new ultraviolet method works at room temperature and at low pressure (hot embossing operates at more than 100 °C and 50 bar).
The low operation temperature means that there is no thermal stretch on the stamp, improving accuracy. And because the stamp is transparent, optical alignment can be used to improve positional accuracy to a few nanometres.
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