Electron beam lithography is generally accepted to have the highest pr
actical resolution capability. In this paper the state of the art in t
erms of resolution is reviewed. This covers conventional resists such
as PMMA, contamination resist, inorganic resists and damage processes.
Some insights into the resolution limiting factors are given although
the precise limitations still remain unclear. Consideration is also g
iven as to the best measure of resolution and it is suggested that the
minimum line spacing is a more appropriate and less subjective measur
e than minimum achievable feature size.