  Thermally activated selective topography equilibration (TASTE) enables the
creation of 3D structures in resist using grayscale electron-beam lithography
followed by a thermal treatment to induce a selective polymer reflow. A blazed
grating topography can be created by reflowing repeating staircase patterns in
resist into wedge-like structures. Motivated by astronomical applications, such
patterns with periodicities 840 nm and 400 nm have been fabricated in 130
nm-thick PMMA using TASTE to provide a base for X-ray reflection gratings. A
path forward to integrate this alternative blazing technique into grating
fabrication recipes is discussed.
