Gold transmission gratings with submicrometer periods and thicknesses ≳0.5 μm

Gold gratings with spatial periods of 0.3 and 0.2 μm have been fabricated in thicknesses of 0.6 and 0.25 μm, respectively, and used in x‐ray spectroscopy and spatial‐period‐division. Fabrication techniques included: holographic lithography, shadowing, x‐ray lithography, and gold microplating. Control of linewidth to tolerance of the order of 10 nm has been demonstrated for gratings of 0.2 μm period. A high resolution imaging spectrometer, composed of a 22× Wolter x‐ray microscope in conjunction with a gold transmission grating, was tested. At a wavelength of 0.69 nm, a resolving power, λ/Δλ, of 200 was demonstrated. Resolution in this case was source‐size limited. Gratings of 99.5 nm period were exposed in PMMA by x‐ray (λ = 4.5 nm) spatial‐period‐division.