P. Wachulak

High numerical aperture tabletop soft x-ray diffraction microscopy with 70-nm resolution.

Light microscopy has greatly advanced our understanding of nature. The achievable resolution, however, is limited by optical wavelengths to ≈200 nm. By using imaging and labeling technologies, resolutions beyond the diffraction limit can be achieved for specialized specimens with techniques such as near-field scanning optical microscopy, stimulated emission depletion microscopy, and photoactivated localization microscopy. Here, we report a versatile soft x-ray diffraction microscope with 70- to 90-nm resolution by using two different tabletop coherent soft x-ray sources—a soft x-ray laser and a high-harmonic source. We also use field curvature correction that allows high numerical aperture imaging and near-diffraction-limited resolution of 1.5λ. A tabletop soft x-ray diffraction microscope should find broad applications in biology, nanoscience, and materials science because of its simple optical design, high resolution, large depth of field, 3D imaging capability, scalability to shorter wavelengths, and ultrafast temporal resolution.

Single-shot extreme ultraviolet laser imaging of nanostructures with wavelength resolution

We have demonstrated near-wavelength resolution microscopy in the extreme ultraviolet. Images of 50 nm diameter nanotubes were obtained with a single ~1 ns duration pulse from a desktop-size 46.9 nm laser. We measured the modulation transfer function of the microscope for three different numerical aperture zone plate objectives, demonstrating that 54 nm half-period structures can be resolved. The combination of near-wavelength spatial resolution and high temporal resolution opens myriad opportunities in imaging, such as the ability to directly investigate dynamics of nanoscale structures.

Talbot lithography: Self-imaging of complex structures

The authors present a self-imaging lithographic technique, capable of patterning large area periodic structures of arbitrary content with nanoscale resolution. They start from the original concept of Talbot imaging of binary gratings—and introduce the generalized Talbot imaging (GTI) where periodic structures of arbitrary shape and content form high-definition self-images. This effect can be used to create the complex, periodic patterns needed in the many lithographic fabrication steps of modern semiconductor devices. Since the process is diffraction limited, the achievable resolution depends only on the wavelength, mask patterning, and degree of coherence of the source. Their approach removes all the complex extreme ultraviolet (EUV) reflective masks and optics, replacing them with nanopatterned transmission masks and makes the whole process simple and cost effective. They have successfully verified the GTI concept using first a He–Ne laser, and then demonstrated its potential as a nanolithography method using a compact table-top soft x-ray (EUV) 46.9nm laser source. These sources provide the high degree of coherence needed by diffraction-based imaging and are extendable to shorter wavelengths. They have recorded EUV GTI images up to the sixth Talbot plane, with consistent high quality good results, clearly demonstrating the ability of the GTI method to record high-resolution patterns at large distances.The authors present a self-imaging lithographic technique, capable of patterning large area periodic structures of arbitrary content with nanoscale resolution. They start from the original concept of Talbot imaging of binary gratings—and introduce the generalized Talbot imaging (GTI) where periodic structures of arbitrary shape and content form high-definition self-images. This effect can be used to create the complex, periodic patterns needed in the many lithographic fabrication steps of modern semiconductor devices. Since the process is diffraction limited, the achievable resolution depends only on the wavelength, mask patterning, and degree of coherence of the source. Their approach removes all the complex extreme ultraviolet (EUV) reflective masks and optics, replacing them with nanopatterned transmission masks and makes the whole process simple and cost effective. They have successfully verified the GTI concept using first a He–Ne laser, and then demonstrated its potential as a nanolithography method...

Microscopy of extreme ultraviolet lithography masks with 13.2 nm tabletop laser illumination

We report the demonstration of a reflection microscope that operates at 13.2 nm wavelength with a spatial resolution of 55+/-3 nm. The microscope uses illumination from a tabletop extreme ultraviolet laser to acquire aerial images of photolithography masks with a 20 s exposure time. The modulation transfer function of the optical system was characterized.

Patterning of nano-scale arrays by table-top extreme ultraviolet laser interferometric lithography

Arrays of nanodots were directly patterned by interferometric lithography using a bright table-top 46.9 nm laser. Multiple exposures with a Lloyds mirror interferometer allowed to print arrays of 60 nm FWHM features. This laser-based extreme ultraviolet interferometric technique makes possible to print different nanoscale patterns using a compact table-top set up.

Sub 400 nm spatial resolution extreme ultraviolet holography with a table top laser

We report sub-400 nm spatial resolution with Gabor holography obtained using a highly coherent table top 46.9 nm laser. The hologram was recorded in high resolution photoresist and subsequently digitized with an atomic force microscope. The final image was numerically reconstructed with a Fresnel propagator. Optimal reconstruction parameters and quantification of spatial resolution were obtained with a wavelet analysis and image correlation.

Volume extreme ultraviolet holographic imaging with numerical optical sectioning

Three dimensional images were obtained using a single high numerical aperture hologram recorded in a high resolution photoresist with a table top lambda = 46.9 nm laser. Gabor holograms were numerically reconstructed over a range of image planes by sweeping the propagation distance in the numerical reconstruction algorithm, allowing numerical optical sectioning. A robust three dimension image of a test object was obtained with numerical optical sectioning, providing a longitudinal resolution of approximately 2 mum and a lateral resolution of 164 nm.

Analysis of extreme ultraviolet microscopy images of patterned nanostructures based on a correlation method

A method to analyze extreme ultraviolet microscopy images of nanostructures that allows for the simultaneous determination of an object’s feature size and image resolution is presented. It is based on the correlation between the image and a set of templates of known resolution generated from the original image using Gaussian filters. The analysis was applied to images obtained with a Fresnel zone plate microscope that uses a 13.2 nm wavelength laser light for illumination. The object’s feature size and the resolution obtained with this method are shown to be in very good agreement with independent measurements of both magnitudes.

Spectral investigations of photoionized plasmas induced in atomic and molecular gases using nanosecond extreme ultraviolet (EUV) pulses

In this paper, results of spectral investigations of low temperature photoionized plasmas, created by irradiation of gases with intense pulses of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) radiation from a laser-produced plasma (LPP) source, are presented. The LPP source was based on a double-stream KrXe/He gas-puff target irradiated with 4 ns/0.8 J/10 Hz Nd:YAG laser pulses. The most intense emission from the source spanned a relatively narrow spectral region λ ≈ 10–12 nm; however, spectrally integrated intensity at longer wavelengths was also significant. The EUV beam was focused on a gas stream, injected into a vacuum chamber synchronously with the EUV pulses. Irradiation of gases resulted in formation of photoionized plasmas emitting radiation in the EUV range. Radiation spectra, measured for plasmas produced in various gases, are dominated by emission lines, originating from single charged ions. Significant differences in spectral intensities and distributions between plasmas created in neon and molecular gases were observed.

Nanoscale patterning in high resolution HSQ photoresist by interferometric lithography with tabletop extreme ultraviolet lasers

Arrays of nanodots and nanoholes were patterned with a highly coherent tabletop 46.9nm laser on high resolution hydrogen silsesquioxane photoresist using multiple exposure interferometric lithography. The authors observed for λ=46.9nm radiation a penetration depth in excess of 150nm. This laser-based extreme ultraviolet interferometric setup allows printing of 0.5×0.5mm2 areas with different nanoscale patterns using a compact tabletop system and exposure times of tens of seconds.