Translation of optical device performance into e-beam lithography - a contribution to a better understanding

Advanced flat optical and integrated photonic systems emerge from research and highly specialized solutions to more common use cases. This requires a concurrently developed infrastructure in the manufacturing. The necessary technologies are already available in semiconductor manufacturing. These technologies are mature and provide the accuracy and process stability required. However, the quality parameters which are typically used in semiconductor manufacturing do not map optical quality parameters in a straightforward manner. In consequence, the chosen process conditions often do not fit well to the specific optical application. We will show on the example of electron-beam lithography, that while quality parameters describing optical applications and semiconductor applications differ, they are linked. Further we show, that tuning of the lithography process is a powerful lever to maximize overall optical quality. Since curved or any-angle structures are prevalent in many optical applications the data preparation and writing strategy are key-factors to improve optical performance and to decrease write time.