PATTERNING OF AN ELECTRON-BEAM RESIST WITH A SCANNING TUNNELING MICROSCOPE OPERATING IN AIR

A scanning tunnelling microscope operating in air is employed to expos e a 50 nm thick electron beam sensitive resist with low energetic elec trons. We demonstrate that it is possible to expose the resist under a mbient conditions with voltages of similar to 50 V without observable modification of the resist surface after exposure prior to development . A resolution of 150 nm has been achieved. The dose for complete expo sure has been determined as 10 mC cm(-2). This is about 1000 times hig her than the value for conventional high-voltage electron beam lithogr aphy.