Time efficient fabrication of ultra large scale nano dot arrays using electron beam lithography

An astonishingly simple yet versatile alternative method for the creation of ultra large scale nano dot arrays [1], [2] and [3] utilising the fact that exposure in electron beam lithography (EBL) is performed by addressing single pixels with defined distances is evaluated here in terms of usability with different resists. If this inter-pixel distance for a generic shape is set to match the desired lattice constant w of the dot array and the deposited area dose is reduced to about 1/100 to 1/10 of the clearing area dose of the respective resist, a rectangular lattice, i.e., array, of dots is achieved.The dot diameters resulting from this method are analysed with respect to the applied area dose and the desired lattice constant for three commonly used EBL resists: PMMA 950k, ZEP 520A and HSQ.

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► An alternative, time efficient approach of fabrication of large scale nano dot arrays is proposed.
► Handling of the structures in the design is greatly facilitated while the exposure time is reduced.
► This is mainly useful for low throughput EBL systems.
► Nicely shaped dots may be created in a rather controlled way.
► Arbitrarily shaped arrays as well as arbitrary lattices are possible.