EFFECTS OF HSQ e-BEAM RESIST PROCESSING ON THE FABRICATION OF ICP-RIE ETCHED TiO₂ NANOSTRUCTURES

Ivan Hotovy – Ivan Kostic – Martin Predanocy – Pavol Nemec – Vlastimil Rehacek

   Patterning of metal oxide nanostructures with different shapes and well-defined size may play an important role in the improvement of MEMS systems, sensors and optical devices. We investigated the effects of HSQ e-beam resist processing on the fabrication of sputtered TiO nanostructures. They were patterned using direct write e-beam lithography combined with ICP-RIE etching in CF₄Ar plasma. Experimental results confirmed that the HSQ resist with a thickness of about 600 nm is suitable as a masking material for optimal etching process and allows patterning of the dots array in TiO sputtered films with a thickness up 150 nm. TiO arrays with a minimal dots diameter of 180 nm and spacing of 1000 nm were successfully developed.

Keywords: HSQ e-beam resist, ICP-RIE etching, TiO dots array

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