TECHNIQUES FOR CONTROLLING OVERBURDEN PLANARIZATION

    公开(公告)号:US20240151971A1

    公开(公告)日:2024-05-09

    申请号:US17571990

    申请日:2022-01-10

    CPC classification number: G02B27/0172 G02B2027/0178 G02B2027/0194

    Abstract: A method of planarizing an overcoat layer on a surface-relief grating includes dispensing a layer of a resin material that is curable by heat or electromagnetic radiation on a surface-relief grating that includes a plurality of grating grooves, pressing the layer of the resin material using a planar imprint stamp, curing the resin material in the layer of the resin material, and detaching the planar imprint stamp from the layer of the resin material. In one example, a thickness of the overcoat layer on top of grating ridges of the surface-relief grating is equal to or less than 20 nm, and a surface peak-to-valley height of a top surface of the overcoat layer is equal to or less than 5 nm.

    GRAY-TONE RESISTS AND PROCESSES
    4.
    发明申请

    公开(公告)号:US20230130753A1

    公开(公告)日:2023-04-27

    申请号:US17970439

    申请日:2022-10-20

    Abstract: Disclosed herein are techniques for fabricating a straight or slanted surface-relief grating with a uniform or non-uniform grating depth. According to certain embodiments, a gray-tone photoresist includes a novolac resin, a diazonaphthoquinone (DNQ) dissolution inhibitor, and one or more crosslinking agents for crosslinking the novolac resin at an elevated temperature to increase a glass transition temperature of the gray-tone photoresist and/or lower an etch rate of the gray-tone photoresist. After gray-tone photo exposure and development, the gray-tone photoresist is baked at the elevated temperature to crosslink. The crosslinked gray-tone photoresist has a higher density and a higher glass transition temperature, and thus would not become flowable to cause ripples or other surface roughness during the etching.

    COATING COMPOSITION AND PLANARIZATION OF HIGH REFRACTIVE INDEX OVERCOAT ON GRATINGS

    公开(公告)号:US20220373725A1

    公开(公告)日:2022-11-24

    申请号:US17327060

    申请日:2021-05-21

    Abstract: An optical device includes an overcoat layer on a surface-relief grating. The overcoat layer is formed by a process including: depositing a layer of a first resin material that is curable by heat or electromagnetic radiation on a surface-relief grating that includes a plurality of grating ridges and a plurality of grating grooves to at least partially fill the plurality of grating grooves, curing the layer of the first resin material, depositing a layer of a second resin material that is curable by heat or electromagnetic radiation and has a higher flowability than the first resin material on the layer of the first resin material, annealing the layer of the second resin material to allow the second resin material to flow and form a planar top surface, and curing the layer of the second resin material.

    IN SITU CORE-SHELL NANOPARTICLE PREPARATION

    公开(公告)号:US20220334302A1

    公开(公告)日:2022-10-20

    申请号:US17720083

    申请日:2022-04-13

    Abstract: An optical device includes a substrate, a surface-relief grating including grooves and ridges formed on or in the substrate, and an overcoat layer in the grooves of the surface-relief grating. The ridges of the surface-relief grating or the overcoat layer includes a plurality of clusters of metal oxide (e.g., TiO2 or NbOx) nanoparticles. Each cluster of the plurality of clusters of metal oxide nanoparticles includes metal oxide nanoparticles dispersed in an inorganic barrier that isolates the metal oxide nanoparticles from other materials of the optical device. The ridges of the surface-relief grating or the overcoat layer is made of a resin material that includes a resin with inorganic content, and/or TiOx or NbOx nanoparticles including inorganic-containing ligands. A high-energy treatment process can remove organics surrounding the metal oxide nanoparticles and form the barrier layers that surround clusters of metal oxide nanoparticles.

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