Photo-mask fabrication by low-energy microcolumn lithography

We have designed and fabricated a low-energy electron-beam lithography system based on a single column module (SCM) microcolumn. From the observed characteristics of the polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) resist, the optimum conditions for the low-energy e-beam lithography have been determined. Fine line patterns on PMMA with line width less than 60 nm were obtained under optimized lithographic conditions. For the first time an aluminum photo-mask for optical lithography was created utilizing microcolumn lithography. Our results show that low-energy lithography systems have the potential to be used in high quality photo-mask fabrication processes.