Fabrication of 3D patterns with vertical and sloped sidewalls by grayscale electron-beam lithography and thermal annealing

A novel process route is presented for the fabrication of three-dimensional (3D) patterns with both vertical and inclined profiles in close vicinity on the same substrate. The 3D patterns were generated by dose-modulated electron-beam lithography (EBL) in polymeric resist combined with a thermal annealing (reflow) post-treatment at a moderate temperature. Thus, technical limitations usually connected with grayscale EBL to manufacture continuous patterns were overcome. 3D sawtooth structures which exhibit both sharp and continuous profiles were generated and slopes up to 270 with smooth surfaces were achieved. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.