Abstract: The invention relates to fused silica having low compaction under high energy irradiation, particularly adaptable for use in photolithography applications.

Abstract: The present invention includes a composite optical waveguide fiber. The composite optical waveguide fiber includes a first optical waveguide fiber. The first optical waveguide fiber has a first diameter and a first outermost layer having a first coefficient of thermal expansion. The composite optical waveguide fiber further includes a second optical waveguide fiber coupled to the first optical waveguide fiber. The second optical waveguide fiber has a second diameter and a second outermost layer, the second outermost layer having a second coefficient of thermal expansion. Wherein the first coefficient of thermal expansion is greater than the second coefficient of thermal expansion. Wherein the first diameter is greater than the second diameter.

Abstract: Stress-induced photoelastic birefringence compensates for intrinsic birefringence of cubic crystalline structures in deep ultraviolet (less than 200 nm) microlithographic imaging systems. Both the photoelastic birefringence and the intrinsic birefringence are expressed in a tensor format simplified by the symmetries of cubic crystalline structures. The stress-induced photoelastic birefringence can be sized to individually compensate for intrinsic birefringence exhibited in the same optical elements or preferably to collectively compensate for the cumulative effects of intrinsic birefringence in other optical elements in the lithography system.

Abstract: Disclosed is a photonic band-gap crystal waveguide having the physical dimension of the photonic crystal lattice and the size of the defect selected to provide for optimum mode power confinement to the defect. The defect has a boundary which has a characteristic numerical value associated with it. The ratio of this numerical value to the pitch of the photonic crystal is selected to avoid surface modes found to exist in certain configurations of the photonic band-gap crystal waveguide. Embodiments in accord with the invention having circular and hexagonal defect cross sections are disclosed and described. A method of making the photonic band-gap crystal waveguide is also disclosed and described.

Abstract: Use of ultrashort, focused pulses to alter a detectable optical property in a specific region in a structure allows lower energy to be used in fabrication of a three-dimensional, periodic array of altered regions in a material. These properties may be, for example, an index of refraction, absorption or scattering. The typical spacing between altered regions may be larger than a wavelength of interest, to create diffractive optical elements, or may be roughly the same as a wavelength of interest, to create photonic crystal elements. The photonic crystal may have a photonic band gap, i.e., a frequency range in which no modes may propagate, or may simply have altered dispersion properties but no gap, as in a photonic crystal superprism.

Abstract: The invention relates to fused silica having low compaction under high energy irradiation, particularly adaptable for use in photolithography applications.

Abstract: An active photonic crystal device for controlling an optical signal is disclosed. The device includes a planar photonic crystal with a defect waveguide bounded on the top and bottom by an upper cladding region and a lower cladding region. An optical signal propagating in the defect waveguide is confined in the plane of the photonic crystal by the photonic bandgap, and in the direction normal to the photonic crystal by the upper clad region and the lower clad region. The propagation of the optical signal in the defect waveguide is controlled by varying the optical properties at least one of the upper clad region or the lower clad region. The variation of the optical properties of the controllable regions may be achieved using a thermo-optic effect, an electro-optic effect, a stress-optic effect, or a mechano-optic effect, or by moving a material into or out of the controllable region.

Abstract: A fused silica glass which exhibits low compaction when exposed to high intensity excimer radiation, also exhibits low optical path distortion after exposure to a high intensity radiation dose. Also disclosed is a method for improving the select ratio of fused silica glass for photolithography, by predicting the optical path distortion of the glass under use by determining the intrinsic densification of the glass at a given number of pulses and fluence per pulse. Mathematical modeling methods are also disclosed for use in producing a fused silica stepper lens having low compaction under high intensity excimer radiation; and for determining optical path distortion caused by high energy radiation in fused silica glass.