A simple edge-following scanning algorithm for proton beam writing and other direct-write lithographies
Abstract
The quality of the structures fabricated using proton beam writing (PBW) and other direct-write microfabrication methods is strongly influenced by the path followed by the writing beam during the exposure. In particular, it is necessary to avoid paths in which the beam makes large jumps or changes in direction close to the edges of the structure, and ideally the scan path should follow the outline of the pattern to be exposed (sometimes referred to as turtle scanning). While this is relatively easy to implement when the patterns to be created can be built up from simple geometric shapes (circles, rectangles, etc), it has not been possible to do this in the case of arbitrarily complex images, at least using software available to the PBW community.
- Publication:
-
Journal of Micromechanics and Microengineering
- Pub Date:
- March 2019
- DOI:
- 10.1088/1361-6439/aafa03
- Bibcode:
- 2019JMiMi..29c5003G
- Keywords:
-
- ion beam scanning;
- edge-following algorithm;
- proton beam writing;
- direct-write lithography