Several stitching approaches are considered to secure patterning performance across the stitch boundary and at ASML Brion we are developing solutions to support patterning at resolution across the stitch. Sensitivity analysis is performed to quantify contrast, CD control, and pattern placement performance across the stitch boundary for holes and line/space layers and experimental CD control and experimental process capability and reticle patterning performance is presented and compared to the latest simulation and modelling capability using calibrated 0.33NA models and exposures. Especially important is to quantify cross talk of model accuracy errors, reticle CD errors, and placement errors in the stitching region where advanced models, scanner control and process design strategies are required.
Light-matter interactions play essential roles in realizing a new generation of nanoscale imaging to overcome traditional trade-offs between spatial resolution and time capabilities. By harnessing engineered nanophotonic materials, scattered light can be shaped to enhance light matter interactions for nanoscale bioimaging. We achieved nanoscale bioimaging with record long time capabilities. Long time nanoscopy has the potential to unlock a wide range of new dynamical studies and insights in assembly, organization and pattern formation in biological and material systems, where nanoscopic rearrangements drive group-level movements at the macroscale over time.
The EUV High-NA scanner brings innovative design changes to projection optics, such as introducing center obscuration and the anamorphic projection optical system in the projection optics box (POB) to improve the system transmission while the NA is improved1 . These design changes need to be accounted for in the computational lithography software solutions, to ensure accurate modeling and optimization of the High-NA system performance on wafer. In this paper, we will systematically investigate the benefits of Source Mask Optimization (SMO) and mask only optimization to explore EUV High-NA full chip patterning solutions, where mask 3D effects (M3D) are captured in the optical modeling. The paper will focus on assessing the performance (including process window, depth of focus, normalized image log slope) of through-pitch 1D Line/space (L/S) patterns and 2D Contact/Hole (CH) patterns after aforementioned optimizations and demonstrate the impact of center obscuration on imaging. In addition, we will investigate the effect of sub-resolution assistant feature (SRAF) on High-NA patterning via comparing the optimized lithographic performance with and without SRAF. These findings will help determine the most optimal patterning solutions for EUV High-NA as we move towards the first High NA EUV insertion. The paper will also discuss the anamorphic SMO where MRC and mask description needs to change from wafer plane (1x1) to scaled reticle plane (1x2). The interfield stitching will also be briefly discussed in this paper.
A vision system is a critical element to develop the driver assistance systems for improved mobility, semi-automated or fully automated driving functions, and enhancing safety. However, vision systems in the developing autonomous vehicles have been plagued by poor visibility conditions caused by glare. We demonstrate a miniaturized integrative electrical polarizer system allowing for rapid correction of multimodal glare to reveal hidden objects. We show our method enables classification of glare, fast response time and adaptability to multimodal glare.
CRISPR-Cas9 is an efficient and reliable tool to cleave targeted portions of DNA. Once the DNA been cut by the tool, genes are ready to be cut, inserted or modified as desired. Conventionally, CRISPR is carried by a virus into cells. However, potential safety issues exists, as the cell can physiologically respond to viral invasion, or its genome can be inserted with unwanted virus genes. Here, we show that gold nanoparticles serves as preferable successful vectors of CRISPR-Cas9, with extra benefit to allow stable imaging. This toxicity-free alternative method avoids the aforementioned issues and introduces the CRISPR-Cas9 complex safely
Actin dynamics plays an important role in cell activities and drives a large range of cellular process such as cell division and cell motility. To visualize the actin dynamics, we introduce non-bleaching nanoscale imaging to capture actin dynamics over long time scales. Here, we demonstrate the high resolution quantification of actin dynamics by non-bleaching nanoscale imaging for the purpose of revealing resulting mechanical properties. Through this method, we visualized and quantified actin twisting dynamics through disassembly process by actin binding proteins.
Fluorescence super-resolution imaging relies on fluorophores as contrast agents. As a result of the inevitable photobleaching and thus a limited photon budget, they put fundamental limitations on the temporal resolution. We propose non-bleaching, plasmonic nanoparticles as non-bleaching contrast agents with an unlimited photon budget such that both the temporal and spatial resolution can be pursued at the same time. We demonstrated a continuous observation of fine structural features in resolved actin networks. We believe the non-bleaching nanoscale imaging will open new doors for observing biological processes on a much longer timescales with higher spatial and temporal details.
CRISPR-Cas9 is a gene editing tool which has promise for the treatment and prevention of many complex diseases. Together with a short guide RNA, CRISPR-Cas9 can recognize and cut the corresponding DNA at a targeted location. Viruses are traditionally used as carriers of CRISPR-Cas9 into target cells. However, viruses may cause
immunogenic complications. Alternatively, gold nanoparticles can be utilized as carriers of CRISPR-Cas9.
Gold nanoparticles in the near infrared regime exhibit unique optical properties. In this work, we show gold nanoparticles can be stably and efficiently crosslinked to the CRISPR complex.These alternative carriers are toxicity free to and allow effective and efficient introduction of the CRISPR system.
Gold nanoparticles are ideal tools for cargo transportation. However, injection of nanoparticles into cells remains difficult. Current method utilizes laser light to heat up the particles and the surrounding media to create shock wave or air bubble to push the particle into the cells. However, high temperatures may result in cell and/or cargo damage. To solve this issue, we propose a new mechanism that utilizes mechanical force without causing high temperature. We carefully tune the geometry of gold nanoparticles to maximize the applied force on the membrane while minimizing the particle temperature. This work paves the way for further applications in cargo transportation.
Conventional biological imaging typically relies on either spatial or temporal modulation which are limited by fluorophores undergoing photobleaching. As a result, imaging of biological processes for extended periods of time remains a challenge. To overcome this limitation, we introduce polarization modulation combined with nonbleaching plasmonic nanoparticles to boost signal-to-noise ratio and to eliminate strong background scattering. We show plasmonic nanoparticles can be extracted from the noisy background and cellular environment, where the visualization of nanoparticles has been previously hindered by the strongly scattering biological components. We demonstrate that such a reduction of background noise level greatly enhances the overall signal-to-noise ratio of nanoparticles within biological structures.
Plasmonic nanoparticles are excellent nonbleaching probes for bio-imaging. Due to their anisotropic properties, polarization analysis of individual nanoparticles allows for revealing orientational information, plasmon mode assignment, and the local microenvironment. Previous implementations utilize mechanical rotation of conventional polarizers to align the polarization angles with specific axes of nanoparticles. However, the manufacturing defects of the polarizer (e.g., non-parallelism) limit the measurement stability (e.g., beam wobbling) in polarimetric imaging, while the mechanical rotation limits the measurement speed, and thus hinders accurate, real-time acquisition of individual nanoparticles.
Here, we demonstrate a high-speed nano-polarimetric system for stable plasmonic bio-imaging by integrating our voltage-tunable polarizer (VTP) into a microscope. The angular rotation of the polarization (0∼π) can be realized by applying voltage on the VTP. We show that our voltage-tunable system offers high extinction ratio (∼up to 250), and uniform transmission (∼55%) over a large input power range (<5% deviation for input power from 50 μW to ∼20 mW). Meanwhile, the transmission polarization can be rapidly tuned with a response time up to 50 ms. Compared to conventional polarizers, our system is able to provide reproducible and high-speed polarimetric images of individual nanoparticles with sub-pixel spatial precision. Such a polarimetric nanoimaging system could be a useful tool for real-time single nanoparticle bio-imaging with both high stability and time resolution.
Precise polarimetric imaging of polarization-sensitive nanoparticles is essential for resolving their accurate spatial positions beyond the diffraction limit. However, conventional technologies currently suffer from beam deviation errors which cannot be corrected beyond the diffraction limit. To overcome this issue, we experimentally demonstrate a spatially stable nano-imaging system for polarization-sensitive nanoparticles. In this study, we show that by integrating a voltage-tunable imaging variable polarizer with optical microscopy, we are able to suppress beam deviation errors. We expect that this nano-imaging system should allow for acquisition of accurate positional and polarization information from individual nanoparticles in applications where real-time, high precision spatial information is required.
Access to the requested content is limited to institutions that have purchased or subscribe to SPIE eBooks.
You are receiving this notice because your organization may not have SPIE eBooks access.*
*Shibboleth/Open Athens users─please
sign in
to access your institution's subscriptions.
To obtain this item, you may purchase the complete book in print or electronic format on
SPIE.org.
INSTITUTIONAL Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.
PERSONAL Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.