High resolution optical lithography or high throughput electron beam lithography: The technical struggle from the micro to the nano-fabrication evolution

•Wavelength reduction and higher numerical aperture systems in optical lithography.•Resolution enhancement technologies.•Multiple patterning technologies.•Variable shaped beam and cell/character projection systems in electron beam systems.•Multiple electron beam systems.

The development of integrated circuits has been stimulated by the miniaturization of the device feature size on a chip. The development of lithographic technologies such as optical lithography and electron beam lithography made important contributions to this miniaturization. Resolution improvement is the most critical issue in the development of optical lithography. On the other hand, in the development of the electron beam lithography, the resolution excellent, but improvement in the throughput capability is the most critical issue. This paper describes the history of resolution improvement efforts in optical lithography and throughput improvement efforts in electron beam lithography through the development history of dynamic random access memories (DRAMs).

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