Micro- and Nano- E-Beam Lithography using PROXY

V.V.Aristov, B.N.Gaifullin, A.ASvintsov, S.I.Zaitsev, H.F.Raith*

Institute of Microelectronics Technology, Chernogolovka
Raith GmbH, D-4600 Dortmund



Large and sophisticated electron beam lithography instruments are a necessity in modern IC production - but besides this, there are many applications which need electron beam lithography at a much smaller scale. Some of these fields are: optimizing of electron resist, integrated optics experiments, X-ray optics with zone lenses, experiments with individually created IC components, window etching in ICs for failure analysis, epitactic and galvanic experiments.

The PROXY software package was designed in the Institute of Microelectronics Technology in cooperation with Raith GmbH stands for a special attachment which enables any scanning electron microscope (SEM) to perform electron lithography. PROXY provides rapid and easy to operate pattern generation and writing on any substrate surface. The PROXY software package works on the IBM PC, and any compatible computer. It may be connected to various hardware components and includes mark recognition and control system for combining with motorized stage. Now, calculation of proximity correction, simulation of the results after development, distortion correction are possible in very easy and convenient way. By this way a correction procedure implemented in PROXY provides effective and automatic correction of proximity effect related with backscattered electrons and improves significantly proximity effects dealt with beam size resulting to a guaranteed accuracy about 40% of an electron beam radii.

In comparison to production beam lithography machines, the PROXY-SEM combination offers more flexibility in operation, more capabilities with respect to nanolitography, experimental electron beam lithography at a small fraction of the cost of currently available instrumentation. PROXY cannot be used as an IC production machine, however, PROXY offers much in fields of beam lithography research and development, especially since it is not limited to SEM's only, but to any other scanning system. For example PROXY was combined with-beam writer or creating elements of X-rays optics.

The previous general declarations will be illustrated in the report by set of examples. It includes: