Combined Electron Beam Lithography

Tato práce se zabývá reliéfní elektronovou litografií a přípravou difrakčních optických elementů. Řešena jsou tři témata. Prvním tématem je reliéfní kombinovaná elektronová litografie, kde je cílem zkombinovat expozice dvou systémů s rozdílnou energií elektronů primárního svazku. Kombinovaná technika vede k efektivnějšímu využití jednotlivých systémů, kdy se různé struktury lépe připravují jinými energiemi elektronů v primárním svazku. Dalším tématem je optimalizace hranic objektů exponovaných struktur, které jsou definovány obrazovými vstupy. Zkoumá se vliv této optimalizace na rychlost přípravy expozičních dat, na dobu expozice a na optickou odezvu testovaných struktur. Třetím tématem je zkoumání možností přípravy hlubokých víceúrovňových difrakčních optických elementů do bloků plexiskla, jako náhrada soustavy rezist/substrát. S tím se pojí nový způsob zápisu, který minimalizuje teplotní zátěž na plexisklo během expozice elektronovým svazkem a zároveň zvyšuje homogenitu výsledného motivu. V této části byla dále navržena metoda výpočtu expozičních dávek specifických víceúrovňových struktur vycházející z existujících modelů pro výpočet korekcí jevu blízkosti, která minimalizuje čas výpočtu expozičních dávek.This thesis deals with grayscale e-beam lithography and diffractive optical elements fabrication. Three topics are addressed. The first topic is combined grayscale e-beam lithography. The goal of this task is combining exposures performed by two systems with various beam energies. This combined technique leads to a better usage of both systems because various structures can be more easily prepared by one electron beam energy than by the other. The next topic is the optimization of shape borders of exposing structures that are defined by image input. The influence of such optimization on exposure data preparation is evaluated, as well as the exposure time and the change of optical properties of testing structures. The possibility of deep multilevel diffractive optical element fabrication in plexiglass blocks is researched as the third topic. Plexiglass can replace the system of a resist and a substrate. A new approach to writing down the structures by electron beam is presented, minimizing thermal stress on the plexiglass block during the exposure. The writing method also improves the homogeneity of exposed motifs. A method for computing the exposure dose for specific multilevel structures was designed. This method is based on the existing model of proximity effect computation and it minimizes the computing time necessary to obtain the exposure doses.

The silicon etching technology

Tato práce se zabývá technologií mokrého a suchého leptání křemíku. Zkoumá se použití vodného roztoku hydroxidu draselného. V suchých technikách se práce zaměřuje na plazmatické leptání křemíku směsí CF4+O2. U obou leptacích procesů jsou stanoveny důležité parametry leptání, jako je rychlost leptání křemíku, maskovacího materiálu, selektivita leptání, drsnost povrchu a podleptání masky. Řeší se zde i další pomocné a přípravné práce v technologii leptání. Konkrétně jde o vytváření masky v rezistu a v oxidu křemíku, litografii a leptání rezistu za pomoci kyslíkové plazmy.This thesis deals with the silicon etching technology. It Examines using of water solution of potassium hydroxide. It focuses on plasma etching of silicon using mixture of CF4 and O2 as the dry way of etching. Important parameters of etching like etching rate of silicon and masking materials, etching selectivity, surface roughness and underetching of mask are determined for both ways. Some additional processes has been examined as well, namely creating of mask of resist and silicon dioxide, lithography process and etching of resist using oxygen plasma.

Properties study of periodic gratings prepared by electron-beam lithography

Tato práce se zabývá procesem tvorby reliéfních periodických struktur pomocí elektronové litografie. Popisuje, jak navrhnout tyto struktury pomocí počítače a následně je vytvořit elektronovým litografem. Dále se zabývá metodami, kterými můžeme tyto struktury měřit a vyhodnocovat. Tyto metody jsou použity k měření a vyhodnocení binárních periodických mřížek a pomocí získaných dat je stanovena závislost hloubky mřížky na její periodě. Práce se dále zabývá měřením difrakční účinnosti na zhotovených mřížkách a srovnáním závislostí jejich difrakční účinností na hloubce mřížky.This study examines the process of the relief periodic structures creation by way of electron beam lithography. It describes how to design these structures by means of a computer and subsequently how to create them by electron beam lithograph. Moreover, this study explores the methods by which these structures are measured and evaluated. These methods are used to measure and evaulate binary periodic gratings and thanks to obtained data it can be determined the dependence of the depth of grating on its period. The study also contains measurement of diffraction efficiency on manufactured gratings and comparison of the dependence of its diffraction efficiency on the depth of grating.

A novel method for detection and classification of covered conductor faults

Medium-Voltage (MV) overhead lines with Covered Conductors (CCs) are increasingly being used around the world primarily in forested or dissected terrain areas or in urban areas where it is not possible to utilize MV cable lines. The CC is specific in high operational reliability provided by the conductor core insulation compared to Aluminium-Conductor Steel-Reinforced (ACSR) overhead lines. The only disadvantage of the CC is rather the problematic detection of faults compared to the ACSR. In this work, we consider the following faults: the contact of a tree branch with a CC and the fall of a conductor on the ground. The standard protection relays are unable to detect the faults and so the faults pose a risk for individuals in the vicinity of the conductor as well as it compromises the overall safety and reliability of the MV distribution system. In this article, we continue with our previous work aimed at the method enabling detection of the faults and we introduce a method enabling a classification of the fault type. Such a classification is especially important for an operator of an MV distribution system to plan the optimal maintenance or repair the faulty conductors since the fall of a tree branch can be solved later whereas the breakdown of a conductor means an immediate action of the operator

Nanopatterning of silicon nitride membranes

Membranes are typically created by a thin silicon nitride (SIN) layer deposited on a silicon wafer. Both, top and bottom side of the wafer is covered by a thin layer of the silicon nitride. The principle of silicon nitride membranes preparation is based on the wet anisotropic etching of the bottom side of the silicon wafer with crystallographic orientation (100). While the basic procedure for the preparation of such membranes is well known, the nano patterning of thin membranes presents quite important challenges. This is partially due to the mechanical stress which is typically presented within such membranes. The resolution requirements of the membrane patterning have gradually increased. Advanced lithographic techniques and etching procedures had to be developed. This paper summarizes theoretical aspects, technological issues and achieved results. The application potential of silicon nitride membranes as a base for multifunctional micro system (MMS) is also discussed.TACR project [TE 01020233]; MEYS CR [LO1212]; CAS [RVO:68081731

Phyllotactic model linking nano and macro world

Recently, the arrangement of diffraction primitives according to a phyllotactic model was presented. This arrangement was used to benchmarking purposes of the e-beam writer nano patterning. The phyllotactic arrangement has several interesting properties. One of them is related with the coherence between the nano-or microscopic domain of individual optical primitives and the properties of visually perceived images crated by these structures in the macro domain. This paper presents theoretical analysis of the phyllotactic arrangement in the referred context. Different approaches enabling the creation of diffractive optically variable images are proposed. The practical part of the presented work deals with the nano patterning of such structures using two different types of the e-beam pattern generators. One of them is a system with a variable shaped beam of electrons, while the other one is a system with a Gaussian-shaped beam. E-beam writing strategies and the use of inherent spiral patterns for exposure ordering and partitioning are also discussed.TACR [TE 01020233]; MEYS CR [LO1212

Study of the influence of geometrical parameters of phase binary gratings on their optical response for the preparation of optical fiber sensors

For exposure to optical fibers through a phase grating, it is necessary to tune the geometrical parameters of the grating very well. In this paper, we study the effect of the grating period, grating diameter, grating depth, and polarisation of the incident laser beam on the efficiency of diffraction orders. A suitably tuned grating generates diffraction orders with the desired efficiency, thereby guaranteeing the formation of the desired motif in the exposed optical fiber

SMV-2015-13: Relief structures based on diffractive optics

Research and development in the field of physical realization of optical structures based on the principle of diffractive optics by means of electron beam lithography in a recording material supported by a silicon or glass board. The research covers the analysis of the optical motive, research and application of relief structures implementing the required optical properties, research and modeling of the physical possibilities of implementation of relief structures, preparation and analysis of technology of implementation of relief structures with regard to the limits of current scientific instruments, verification of theoretical considerations by means of relief structure sample exposure