Dataset for "Understanding the resolution limit of Displacement Talbot Lithography"

Displacement Talbot lithography (DTL) is a new technique for patterning large areas with sub-micron periodic features with low cost. It has application in fields which cannot justify the cost of deep-UV photolithography such as plasmonics, photonic crystals, and metamaterials and competes with techniques such as nanoimprint and laser interference lithography. It is based on the interference of coherent light through a periodically patterned photomask. However, the factors affecting the resolution limit of the technique are unknown. Through computer simulations, we show the impact of the mask parameters on the size of the features that can be achieved and describe the separate figures of merit that should be optimised for successful patterning. Both amplitude and phase masks are considered for hexagonal and square arrays of openings on the mask. For large pitches, amplitude masks are shown to give the best resolution, whereas, for small pitches, phase masks are superior due to the shorter exposure time that is required. We also show how small changes in the mask pitch can dramatically affect the resolution achievable. As a result, this study provides important information for choosing new masks for DTL for targeted applications. This dataset is the result of a modelling but also experimental investigation of the DTL resolution for a specific resist and wavelength. The data was acquired using a Hitachi S-4300 scanning electron microscope (SEM), and a MATLAB code.