Using neutral atoms and standing light waves to form a calibration artifact for length metrology

Beams of neutral metastable atoms can be patterned by spatially dependent d eexcitation in a standing wave of laser light. Metastable atoms which hit a substrate transfer their internal energy (10-20 eV) to the surface and act ivate the formation of a durable carbonaceous resist from a vapor precursor . The resist can be used as an etch mask to transfer patterns into the subs trate material. In this work, we report a recent experimental demonstration of this "standing wave quenching" (SWQ) patterning technique. We also pres ent an analysis of the accuracy to which atom lithography and SWQ can form a periodic reference array for length metrology. We find that, with some mo dification of the experimental setup and parameters, the absolute period ac ross a 1 mm(2) patterned area can be known to one part in 10(6). (C) 1998 A merican Vacuum Society. [S0734-211X(98)12506-4].