Ultrathin fullerene films as high-resolution molecular resists for low-voltage electron-beam lithography

The potential use of novel ultrathin fullerene-based materials within the semiconductor industry, which act as high-resolution molecular and resists for low-voltage electron-beam lithography, is analyzed. There are two emerging technologies proposed for next generation lithography, which are arrayed microcolumns and multiple electron-beam. The multiple electron beams are used to create an array of individually controlled beams, while the latter uses a single large beam split by an aperture plate into many concurrently controlled beams. The requirement for high-resolution resists suitable for low energies is becoming increasingly important, as these technologies will most likely operate in the electron-beam energy regime. The fullerene derivative has emerged as a vital ingredient for application in parallel electron-beam lithography systems operating at low energies.