Electron-beam lithography is used for patterning photomasks, for writing directly on semiconductor substrates, and for research in nanofabrication. A brief history of the technique is given, and an overview is presented of the optical, mechanical, and electronic components that make an electron lithography tool. Writing methods will be compared and contrasted, including raster scan, vector scan, shaped beam, cell projection, and SCALPEL. Energy deposition physics in the resist film is described, with the resist exposure chemistry and development processes. Special attention is given to the proximity effect and correction. Tool limitations (resolution, throughput, and placement accuracy) are discussed. The course concludes with a forecast of the technology's future and how it relates to the ever-decreasing feature sizes in semiconductor manufacturing.

Electron-beam lithography is used for patterning photo masks, for writing directly on semiconductor substrates, and for R&D in nanofabrication. This course provides a brief history of the technique, and an overview of the electron-optical, mechanical, and electronic components that make an electron lithography tool. The advantages provided by this maskless, high resolution technology will be discussed together with its limitations set by the physics of charged particles. Writing methods will be compared and contrasted in their performance, including raster scan, vector scan, shaped beam, cell projection, and multi beam techniques. The most severe limitation of electron beam lithography tools is low throughput but limits of resolution and placement accuracy will be addressed as well. A particular focus will be on the recent advances in the state-of-the-art based on 'massively parallel' projection of pixels to overcome the throughput handicap. Several practical examples of these emerging lithography technologies are presented and the various technical challenges faced by the ongoing tool development efforts are discussed. You will be able to identify emerging lithographic technologies by their specific level of complexity which will enable you to judge their applicability in the semiconductor fabrication process and their opportunity for success. Applications considered for these new lithography tools under development are outlined in context of their lithographic capability, their business value and viability. The course provides a forecast of the technology's future and how it relates to the ever-decreasing feature sizes in semiconductor manufacturing.