Lift-Off technique using different e-beam writers

Abstract

This paper deals with lift–off technique performed by the way of electron beam lithography. Lift–off is a technique mainly used for preparation of metallic patterns and unlike etching it is an additive technique using a sacrificial material – e.g. e–beam resist PMMA. In this paper we discussed technique of preparation of lift–off mask on two different e–beam writing systems. The first system was BS600 – e–beam writer with rectangular variable shaped beam working with 15keV. The second system was Vistec EBPG5000+ HR – e–beam writer with Gaussian shape beam working with 50 keV and 100 keV. The PMMA resist single layer and bi–layer was used for the lift–off mask preparation. As a material for creation of metallic pattern, magnetron sputtered chromium was used. Atomic force microscope, scanning electron microscope and contact profilometer were used to measure and evaluate the results of this process