Compact electrostatic lithography column for nanoscale exposure

This article introduces an all-electrostatic electron-beam column which uses conventional electrode assemblies, resulting in a system which is very much smaller than a magnetic lens column. Computer modeling of the electron-optical performance of the column has shown that the concept has promise as a lithography tool. Beam broadening due to electron-electron interactions and aberrations of the final accelerating lens are both small enough to give a resolution which matches that of present-day magnetic columns. (C) 1997 American Vacuum Society.