Atomic layer lithography of wafer-scale nanogap arrays for extreme confinement of electromagnetic waves

Xiaoshu Chen, Hyeong-Ryeol Park, Matthew Pelton, Xianji Piao, Nathan C. Lindquist, Hyungsoon Im, Yun Jung Kim, Jae Sung Ahn, Kwang Jun Ahn, Namkyoo Park, Dai-Sik Kim () and Sang-Hyun Oh ()
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Xiaoshu Chen: University of Minnesota
Hyeong-Ryeol Park: Seoul National University
Matthew Pelton: Center for Nanoscale Materials, Argonne National Laboratory
Xianji Piao: Photonic Systems Laboratory, School of EECS, Seoul National University
Nathan C. Lindquist: University of Minnesota
Hyungsoon Im: University of Minnesota
Yun Jung Kim: Photonic Systems Laboratory, School of EECS, Seoul National University
Jae Sung Ahn: Seoul National University
Kwang Jun Ahn: Seoul National University
Namkyoo Park: Photonic Systems Laboratory, School of EECS, Seoul National University
Dai-Sik Kim: Seoul National University
Sang-Hyun Oh: University of Minnesota

Nature Communications, 2013, vol. 4, issue 1, 1-7

Abstract: Abstract Squeezing light through nanometre-wide gaps in metals can lead to extreme field enhancements, nonlocal electromagnetic effects and light-induced electron tunnelling. This intriguing regime, however, has not been readily accessible to experimentalists because of the lack of reliable technology to fabricate uniform nanogaps with atomic-scale resolution and high throughput. Here we introduce a new patterning technology based on atomic layer deposition and simple adhesive-tape-based planarization. Using this method, we create vertically oriented gaps in opaque metal films along the entire contour of a millimetre-sized pattern, with gap widths as narrow as 9.9 Å, and pack 150,000 such devices on a 4-inch wafer. Electromagnetic waves pass exclusively through the nanogaps, enabling background-free transmission measurements. We observe resonant transmission of near-infrared waves through 1.1-nm-wide gaps (λ/1,295) and measure an effective refractive index of 17.8. We also observe resonant transmission of millimetre waves through 1.1-nm-wide gaps (λ/4,000,000) and infer an unprecedented field enhancement factor of 25,000.

Date: 2013
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DOI: 10.1038/ncomms3361

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