Nynke Dekker

Abstract:

Spatially-dependent optical pumping was used in a standing wave to create nanostructures using metastable argon and resist-based atom lithography. Although the localization is caused by spontaneous emission, the matter wave diffraction and the mechanical effects of the light affect the resulting atomic localization. A study was performed to investigate: the role of the spontaneous emission, including the effect of a non-ideal single-emission quenching probability; transverse and longitudinal velocity spreads in the atomic beam; and the optimization of interaction distance and laser detuning for finite laser power and minimum atomic dosage requirements.

Abstract:

We present a survey of neutral atom lithography, focusing on the development and use of resist/etch systems for atoms. The combination of nm-scale features, large-area parallel deposition, and effective resists demonstrates the promise of atoms as a lithographic element. We discuss the patterned direct deposition of atoms into a substrate, and the use of several resists: self-assembled monolayers of alkanethiolates on Au and of alkylsiloxanes on SiC>2, and "contamination" resists deposited from vapor. Features as narrow as 20nm have been transferred into a silicon substrates using a neutral atom resist/etch system. Unlike photons and electrons, noble gas atoms in energetic metastable states have an internal state structure that is easily manipulable, allowing novel lithographic schemes based on the optical quenching of internal energy.