Optical characterization of a hydrogen silsesquioxane lithography process

Samarelli, A., Macintyre, D.S., Strain, M.J., De La Rue, R.M. , Sorel, M. and Thoms, S. (2008) Optical characterization of a hydrogen silsesquioxane lithography process. Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology B: Microelectronics and Nanometer Structures, 26(6), pp. 2290-2294. (doi: 10.1116/1.2998694)

Abstract

In this article the authors report on a new optical linewidth metrology method which uses measured changes in the resonant wavelength of fabricated ring resonator structures to establish the linewidth of waveguides. The technique has a precision of better than 0.5 nm for 500 nm linewidths and can be used for process control although it cannot be used with arbitrary optical structures. To demonstrate the technique they fabricated ring resonator structures on silicon on insulator substrates several times over a period of 70 days, using electron beam lithography with hydrogen silsesquioxane (HSQ) negative tone resist followed by dry etching. They show that waveguide width variations of less than 0.5 nm can consistently be achieved when the HSQ is diluted immediately prior to use but highly irreproducible results are soon obtained if a single dilution is prepared and used for an extended period.

• Item Type: Articles
• Keywords: DISPERSION electron beam lithography elemental semiconductors etching LITHOGRAPHY optical resonators optical waveguides resists RESONATOR silicon SILICON-ON-INSULATOR spectral line breadth WAVE-GUIDES
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Sorel, Professor Marc and De La Rue, Professor Richard and Thoms, Dr Stephen and Samarelli, Mr Antonio and Strain, Dr Michael and Macintyre, Dr Douglas
• Authors: Samarelli, A., Macintyre, D.S., Strain, M.J., De La Rue, R.M., Sorel, M., and Thoms, S.
• College/School: College of Science and Engineering > School of Engineering > Electronics and Nanoscale Engineering
• Journal Name: Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology B: Microelectronics and Nanometer Structures
• ISSN: 1071-1023