The use of the dipole force on atoms is a new technology that is used to build nanostructures. In this way, a high quality standard nano-grating can be obtained. Based on the semi-classical model, the motion equation is investigated and the trajectories of atoms in double half Gaussian standing wave field are simulated. Compared with the Gaussian standing wave field, the double half Gaussian standing wave can well focus the Cr atoms. In order to obtain this kind of beam, a prism is designed and the experimental result shows that the beam is well generated.
Direct-write atom lithography,one of the potential nanofabrication techniques,is restricted by some difficulties in producing optical masks for the deposition of complex structures.In order to make further progress,a structured mirror array is developed to transversely collimate the chromium atomic beam in two dimensions.The best collimation is obtained when the laser red detunes by natural line-width of transition 7S3 → 7P40 of the chromium atom.The collimation ratio is 0.45 vertically(in x axis),and it is 0.55 horizontally(in y axis).The theoretical model is also simulated,and success of our structured mirror array is achieved.
Atom lithography with chromium can be utilized to fabricate a pitch standard, which is chrectly traceable to me wavelength of the laser standing waves. The result of a calibrated commercial AFM measurement demonstrates that the pitch standard is (212.8±0.1) nm with a peak-to-valley-height (PTVH) better than 20 nm. The measurement results show the high period accuracy of traceability with the standing laser wavelength (λ/2 = 212.78 nm). The Cr nano-grating covers a 1000μm×500 μm area, with a PTVH better than 10 nm. The feature width broadening of the Cr nanostructure has been experimentally observed along the direction of the standing waves. The PTVH along the Gaussian laser direction is similar to a Gaussian distribution. Highly uniform periodic nanostructures with a big area at the millimeter scale, and the surface growth uniformity of the Cr nano-grating, show its great potential in the application of a traceable pitch standard at trans-scales.