Structuring of self-assembled three-dimensional photonic crystals by direct electron-beam lithography

An electron-beam lithography technique is described capable of structuring three-dimensional self-assembled photonic crystals. It is shown that the control of the writing depth can be achieved by varying the electron acceleration voltage. Microscopic structures with a depth from 0.4 up to 2 mum are fabricated with a typical lateral resolution of 0.4 mum. The relevance of this technique for the fabrication of deterministic defects sites in opal photonic crystals is discussed and its extension towards buried structures is suggested. (C) 2003 American Institute of Physics.