Abstract

Trends in both integrated circuit and flat- panel display manufacturing technologies require improvements in nanoscale lithography. In both fields, there is increasing demand for a cost-effective lithographic technique that can produce large fields (to ~45 cm diagonal for displays) of nanoscale structures [the semiconductor industry roadmap calls for leading-edge manufacturing at 180 nm (in 2001) and 90 run (in 2007)]. Imaging optical lithographic techniques are approaching fundamental limits in resolution and depth-of-field at these dimensions. Interferometric lithography, in contrast, provides a very simple and inexpensive technique that features essentially unlimited depth-of-field patterns with critical dimensions (CD) as small as λ/4 over very large areas. Using inexpensive optics and existing laser sources and photoresists, interferometric lithography can extend to well beyond the horizons of the current industry roadmaps.

© 1996 Optical Society of America