A New Lithography Method

A new lithography method Lithography means "writing in stone" and we all know the word "lithography" from the world of art. The word lithography is also used about a method for producing wire-patterns in electronic components (micro chips). Usually the li thography process is done by imaging a pattern from a mask on a surface using a beam of light. The wave length of the light determines the size of the details that can be imaged: The smaller the wave length the smaller the details. However, when the wav e length decreases the energy of the light increases. That makes it difficult to find suitable mask materials that can withstand the energy of the light (the energy of the light becomes so high that it goes straight through the mask). With todays technol ogy the limit lies at around 20 nm and the production price is huge: A lithography device that can make 20 nm details costs around 60-100 million dollars. The industry wishes to produce details down to 10 nm, but this is not possible with todays technolog y and methods for lithography with light. In this project we want to verify a new method for lithography that uses helium atoms instead of light to produce the wire patterns. The method exploits quantum mechanics, which tells us that atoms in certain cond itions can behave as waves. The great advantage in using atoms instead of light is that an atom has a much smaller energy than light for a given wavelength. This means that we should be able to write details that are 10 nm or less. Further the equipment f or doing so will be much cheaper than what industry uses today. The project is based on a new patent submitted by BTO/UiB in 2013 with the scientific leader of the project, Professor Bodil Holst, as inventor.