Size and shape control of sub-20 nm patterns fabricated using focused electron beam induced processing

In a first study to analyze the feasibility of Electron Beam Induced Deposition (EBID) for creating certain patterns in advanced lithography, line patterns were fabricated on silicon wafers using EBID. The growth conditions were such that the growth rate is fully determined by the electron flux (the current limited growth regime). It is experimentally verified that different patterning strategies, such as serial versus parallel patterning and single pass patterning versus multiple pass patterning, all lead to the same result in this growth regime. Images of EBID lines, imaged in a scanning electron microscope, were analyzed to determine the position of the lines, the width of the lines and the line edge roughness (LER). The results are that the lines have an average width of 13.7 nm, an average standard deviation of 1.6 nm in the center position of the lines, and an average LER of 4.5 nm (1σ value). As an example of the capabilities of EBID a logicresembling lithography pattern was fabricated.