ELECTRON-BEAM MOIRE

A method of writing very high frequency line and dot patterns, in excess of 10,000 lines/mm, is described. This method uses a very small diameter, 10 to 20 nm, beam of electrons to sensitize a 100-nm thick layer of electron resist. The line and dot patterns are produced by etching the sensitized resist. Moire fringe patterns occur when the line arrays are observed in the scanning electron microscope. Moire fringes with excellent contrast have been produced at magnifications as high as 1900x. This capability permits e-beam moire to be employed in micromechanics. Examples of line arrays, dot arrays and moire fringe patterns on a brass disk and on a tensile specimen fabricated from glass-fiber-reinforced plastic are demonstrated to introduce the possibilities for micromechanics applications.