Cascaded self-induced holography
First Claim
1. Apparatus for forming diffraction gratings in a material comprising:
- a) a radiation source for projecting radiation onto a radiation sensitive portion of a material to form a pattern therein;
b) a first cascaded diffraction grating pair for receiving radiation from said radiation source and projecting a first diffraction grating pattern on a material, said first cascaded diffraction grating pair comprising;
1) a first diffraction grating for forming a first diffracted radiation beam, said first diffraction grating having a first grating period; and
2) a second diffraction grating for diffracting said first diffracted radiation beam and forming a second diffracted radiation beam, said second diffraction grating having a second grating period, and said first diffraction grating pattern having a grating period which is smaller than said first and second grating periods;
c) a second cascaded diffraction grating pair positioned in a plane parallel to said first cascaded diffraction grating pair, and comprising;
1) a third diffraction grating disposed in a plane parallel to said first diffraction grating for receiving radiation from said radiation source and forming a third diffracted radiation beam, said third diffraction grating having a third grating period that is substantially equal to said first grating period; and
2) a fourth diffraction grating disposed in a plane parallel to said second diffraction grating for diffracting said third diffracted radiation beam and forming a fourth diffracted radiation beam which interferes with said second diffracted radiation beam, thereby forming said first diffraction grating pattern, said fourth diffraction grating having a fourth grating period that is substantially equal to said second grating period; and
d) spatial filtering means to be positioned between said radiation source and a material in which a diffraction grating is to be formed.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Cascaded diffraction grated pairs are employed to form submicron gratings and other patterns in various types of devices using photolithographic, UV exposure and other techniques. Cascaded grating pairs are formed in masks which are positioned between a source of radiation and the device or substrate in which a grating is to be formed. The interaction of the diffracted beams generated by each diffraction grating in a cascade grating pair results in the device grating having a period which is substantially smaller than that of either of the gratings in the cascaded grating pair. As a result, gratings with substantially smaller periods than were previously obtainable can now be achieved using conventional fabrication techniques. To eliminate sensitivity to background exposure in photolithographic fabrication applications, a mask is employed in which first and second cascaded grating pairs are separated from one another by an opaque region that acts as a spatial filter. The mask is positioned above the target device or substrate at a distance which causes the diffracted radiation beams from each of the cascaded grating pairs to interfere with one another on the device in the area where the diffraction grating is to be formed.
56 Citations
22 Claims
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1. Apparatus for forming diffraction gratings in a material comprising:
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a) a radiation source for projecting radiation onto a radiation sensitive portion of a material to form a pattern therein; b) a first cascaded diffraction grating pair for receiving radiation from said radiation source and projecting a first diffraction grating pattern on a material, said first cascaded diffraction grating pair comprising; 1) a first diffraction grating for forming a first diffracted radiation beam, said first diffraction grating having a first grating period; and 2) a second diffraction grating for diffracting said first diffracted radiation beam and forming a second diffracted radiation beam, said second diffraction grating having a second grating period, and said first diffraction grating pattern having a grating period which is smaller than said first and second grating periods; c) a second cascaded diffraction grating pair positioned in a plane parallel to said first cascaded diffraction grating pair, and comprising; 1) a third diffraction grating disposed in a plane parallel to said first diffraction grating for receiving radiation from said radiation source and forming a third diffracted radiation beam, said third diffraction grating having a third grating period that is substantially equal to said first grating period; and 2) a fourth diffraction grating disposed in a plane parallel to said second diffraction grating for diffracting said third diffracted radiation beam and forming a fourth diffracted radiation beam which interferes with said second diffracted radiation beam, thereby forming said first diffraction grating pattern, said fourth diffraction grating having a fourth grating period that is substantially equal to said second grating period; and d) spatial filtering means to be positioned between said radiation source and a material in which a diffraction grating is to be formed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. Apparatus for forming diffraction gratings in a material comprising:
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a) a radiation source for projecting radiation onto a radiation sensitive portion of a material to form a pattern therein; b) a first cascaded diffraction grating pair for receiving radiation from said radiation source and projecting a first diffraction grating pattern on a material, said first cascaded diffraction grating pair comprising; 1) a first diffraction grating for forming a first diffracted radiation beam, said first diffraction grating having a first grating period; and 2) a second diffraction grating for diffracting said first diffracted radiation beam and forming a second diffracted radiation beam which generates said first diffraction grating pattern, said second diffraction grating having a second grating period, and said first diffraction grating pattern having a grating period which is smaller than said first and second grating periods; and c) a second cascaded diffraction grating pair for receiving radiation from said radiation source and projecting a second diffraction grating pattern on a material, said second cascaded diffraction grating pair comprising; 1) a third diffraction grating for forming a third diffracted radiation beam, said third diffraction grating having a third grating period; and 2) a fourth diffraction grating for diffracting said third diffracted radiation beam and forming a fourth diffracted radiation beam which generates said second diffraction grating pattern, said fourth diffraction grating having a fourth grating period; wherein, one of said third or fourth grating periods is larger than said first or second grating periods by a preselected amount, and the other of said third or fourth grating periods is smaller than said first or second grating periods by said preselected amount; whereby, said first and second diffraction grating patterns having grating periods which differ from one another. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8)
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9. Apparatus for forming diffraction gratings in a material comprising:
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a) a radiation source for projecting radiation onto a radiation sensitive portion of a material to form a pattern therein; and b) a first cascaded diffraction grating pair for receiving radiation from said radiation source and projecting a first diffraction grating pattern on a material, said first cascaded diffraction grating pair comprising; 1) a first diffraction grating for forming a first diffracted radiation beam, said first diffraction grating having a first grating period; and 2) a second diffraction grating for diffracting said first diffracted radiation beam and forming a second diffracted radiation beam which generates said first diffraction grating pattern, said second diffraction grating having a second grating period which is substantially equal to said first grating period, and said first diffraction grating pattern having a grating period which is smaller than said first and second grating periods. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11)
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12. Apparatus for forming diffraction gratings in a material comprising:
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a) a radiation source for projecting radiation onto a radiation sensitive portion of a material to form a pattern therein; b) a first cascaded diffraction grating pair for receiving radiation from said radiation source and projecting a first diffraction grating pattern on a material, said first cascaded diffraction grating pair comprising; 1) a first diffraction grating for forming a first diffracted radiation beam, said first diffraction grating having a first grating period; and 2) a second diffraction grating for diffracting said first diffracted radiation beam and forming a second diffracted radiation beam which generates said first diffraction grating pattern, said second diffraction grating having a second grating period, and said first diffraction grating pattern having a grating period which is smaller than said first and second grating periods; and c) a material in which a diffraction grating is to be formed, said material being positioned to receive said first diffraction grating pattern. - View Dependent Claims (13)
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14. A method for forming diffraction gratings in a material comprising the steps of:
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a) providing a material in which a diffraction grating is to be formed, said material including a radiation sensitive portion to permit formation of a pattern therein; b) providing a radiation source for projecting a beam of radiation on said material; c) positioning at least a first cascaded diffraction grating pair between said radiation source and said material, said cascaded diffraction grating pair comprising first and second diffraction gratings having first and second grating periods, respectfully; d) directing a beam of radiation from said radiation source through said cascaded diffraction grating pair to form a first diffracted radiation beam which projects a first diffraction grating pattern on said material having a grating period which is smaller than said first or second grating periods; and e) forming a diffraction grating in said material corresponding to said diffraction grating pattern. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification