Electron Beam Recorder with Nanometer-Scale Accuracy for 100 Gbit/in2 Density Mastering

An electron beam recorder (EBR) was developed for mastering optical disks with a recording density of 100 Gbit/in2 using a multilevel recording format. In this recording format, a nanometer-scale accuracy of relative pit edge position is required in both radial and tangential directions. To achieve the recording position accuracy, a rotation stage with a noncontact vacuum seal and a correction system for rotation errors were developed. In addition, an active magnetic shield system and a learning compensation for beam displacement were adopted to improve the stability of the beam position. As a result, the ability to record with high accuracy and high resolution was confirmed from experimental results. A fine pit pattern with a minimum pit length of 70 nm was formed precisely. The recording accuracy of the EBR was evaluated to be approximately 2 nm (standard deviation) in both radial and tangential directions. Furthermore, a carrier-to-noise ratio of 64 dB was also obtained by reproducing an etched silicon master with a 240 nm monotone pit pattern.