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Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference: GR/J98394/01
Title: ADVANCED HIGH RESOLUTION PHOTOMASKS
Principal Investigator: Cairns, Professor JA
Other Investigators:
Lawrenson, Mr B
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:
Department: Electronic Engineering and Physics
Organisation: University of Dundee
Scheme: Standard Research (Pre-FEC)
Starts: 01 June 1994 Ends: 30 November 1995 Value (£): 55,427
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Summary on Grant Application Form
(1) Preparation and optimisation of new Si/Ge photomasks.(2) Evaluation of their performance by UV lithography.Progress:(1) Influence of the Si/Ge ratio:We have produced a range of specimens with varying Si/Ge ratios and used these to investigate the properties described in the following sections.(2) Pattern production by reactive ion etching: We have investigated the conditions necessary to obtain optimised etching of the Si/Ge layers with particular reference to variations in RF power, gas pressure and gas flowrate. The gas used for this purpose was CF4/O2 (8%).(3) Absorption characteristics of Si/Ge films: These have been measured using a Shimadzu UV1201 optical spectrophotometer. These characteristics are important because of their vital role in ensuring accurate pattern transfer of the image.(4) Measurement of interfacial stress between Si/Ge films and silica:This characteristic, which is so vital for the production of high resolution, small isolated features, has been measured by making use of specially designed cantilever structures which we have fabricated in our own laboratories. We have shown, by optimising the Si/Ge ratio and the thickness of the film, that films can be produced which exhibit minimum interfacial stress.(5) Pattern transfer: We have arranged for resist-coated prototype Si/Ge mask blanks to be electron-beam exposed by IMEC in Belgium. Subsequently, we have subjected these to reactive ion etching and demonstrated the production of high resolution patterns from this material.
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Organisation Website: http://www.dundee.ac.uk