nanofabrication
designs & complicated structures
• Easy to use - new findings can be directly used for
process optimization
multi-step lithography processes)
• Scripting (Runscript)
• Provides automation
• Stream file support
• Gives direct access to each pixel with a coordinate a dwell time
and a blanking flag.
(resolution depends on configuration. Either 12bit or 16 bit (resp.
4k- or 64k pattern points)
• FEI GDStoDB
• GDS2 to FEI stream file conversion, also supports different write
fields for selective area
patterning.
• Scripting (Runscript)
• Provides automation
• Stream file support
• Gives direct access to each pixel with a coordinate a dwell time
and a blanking flag.
(resolution depends on configuration. Either 12bit or 16 bit (resp.
4k- or 64k pattern points)
• FEI GDStoDB
• GDS2 to FEI stream file conversion, also supports different write
fields for selective area
patterning.
•Patterns
• Exported/imported patterns
•Bmp milling
material file
Circular resonator
A number of circular patterns drawn in the ‘standard’ XT user
interface.
• Scripting (Runscript)
• Provides automation
• Stream file support
• Gives direct access to each pixel with a coordinate a dwell time
and a blanking flag.
(resolution depends on configuration. Either 12bit or 16 bit (resp.
4k- or 64k pattern points)
• FEI GDStoDB
• GDS2 to FEI stream file conversion, also supports different write
fields for selective area
patterning.
scripting
Image
• Scripting (Runscript)
• Provides automation
• Stream file support
• Gives direct access to each pixel with a coordinate a dwell time
and a blanking flag.
(resolution depends on configuration. Either 12bit or 16 bit (resp.
4k- or 64k pattern points)
• FEI GDStoDB
• GDS2 to FEI stream file conversion, also supports different write
fields for selective area
patterning.
Microlenses with gradient dose control
10pA milled circular gradient patterns. The slope is determined by
the pixel intensity
changes. (for grey scale images one would have access to 256
intensity levels or
pixel dwell times)
Negative microlenses
Sequences of microlenses with a diameter of 4 µm and a depth of
300nm milled at
10pA. Stream files with lens shaped dwell time gradients have been
generated,
milled for 2 minutes and stitched together.
Some other examples
(a) Photonic crystals, a square lattice of dielectric holes with
defects.
(b) Optical nano cantilevers,
(c) Photonic crystal waveguide in a triangular lattice of air holes
with
elongated holes in the center.
• Scripting (Runscript)
• Provides automation
• Stream file support
• Gives direct access to each pixel with a coordinate a dwell time
and a blanking flag.
(resolution depends on configuration. Either 12bit or 16 bit (resp.
4k- or 64k pattern points)
• FEI GDStoDB
• GDS2 to FEI stream file conversion, also supports different write
fields for selective area
patterning.
Execute the FEI
streamfile or script
• Scripting (Runscript)
• Provides automation
• Stream file support
• Gives direct access to each pixel with a coordinate a dwell time
and a blanking flag.
(resolution depends on configuration. Either 12bit or 16 bit (resp.
4k- or 64k pattern points)
• FEI GDStoDB
• GDS2 to FEI stream file conversion, also supports different write
fields for selective area
patterning.
The NanoBuilder is used to automatically fabricate complex
multilayer nanostructures that used to only be possible with
multi-step lithography processes
•The NanoBuilderTM process
SDB operational parameters
directions and can be built exactly as needed
• The NanoBuilder job can be saved or used to make
a array of structures, accurately repeated on
different sites
be used to prepare the NanoBuilder job on a
standalone PC
Application example Nanofluidics building block
The GDSII file is presented with different color for each layer in
NanoBuilder .
The result: A trench for the fluid with an incorporated heater
deposited.
Created in one go in the
Helios SDB
Example: stitching of large scale structures
Slot racetrack resonator, consisting of an 800 nm wide
trench.
The slot is a second trench, 300 nm wide, in the exact center of
the first trench.
The overall structure is 100 x 50 µm.
• The next example shows a mix of automatic metal deposition,
insulator deposition, milling; with a mix of 4 different beam
currents
minutes
• All alignments are done using cross correlation to the X that
is
milled in layer 1
using FEI NanoArchitect
insulator deposition, milling using a mix of 4 different beam
currents with a total fabrication time < 20 minutes
Layer Application file
Bond pads Pt dep 2.8 nA 03:46
2 Coils Pt dep 460 pA 04:35
Insulator
strap
• What about:
• Drift correction?
Drift correction on the fly
•By beam shift (XY Shift) – by template matching or line-scans /
callipers
•Or pattern placement (XY Shift, Rotation, Scale, Shear) – by
line-scans / callipers
Shift only1
We now add tilt and rotation to the project
…let’s add a photonic array to the pillar
By tilting to 7 degrees (or lower) we can mill an array into the
fabricated pillar.
The line scan type of alignments can be used under different stage
angles
opposed to templates which will be deformed under different angles.
The air
holes are milled at 10 pA.
reduce sidewalls, but not indefinitely
Different dwell times at 1pA10pA 1pA
Comparing 10pA vs 1pA only reduces the sidewall characteristics
slightly. Air
hole size is ~200nm.
•The beam is not parallel
Automated job execution √
Alignment without exposing the site of interest
√
create new more complex nanostructures.
• We can use different beam currents for increased
milling rate
deposition is included
drift control and sample repositioning after beam
current changes and/or stage moves
