Physics / mechanism
Electron-beam lithography (EBL) fires a focused beam of electrons (typically 10–100 keV) across a resist-coated substrate in a rasterised or vector scan, exposing patterns without a physical mask. Resolution is limited by electron scattering in the resist rather than diffraction, enabling sub-10 nm half-pitch features; leading tools (JEOL JBX-9500, Raith EBPG) achieve ~2–4 nm resolution with ~1 nm placement accuracy. Throughput is the fundamental constraint: writing a full 300 mm wafer at high resolution takes hours vs. seconds for optical tools. EBL is the workhorse for mask/reticle fabrication, photonic IC prototyping, quantum device patterning, and research-scale compound semiconductor work.
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Frontier (open questions)
- Can multi-beam e-beam (IMS Nanofabrication, Multibeam Corporation) close the throughput gap to optical tools at 300 mm wafer scale by 2030?
- Does direct-write e-beam at single-wafer rates (ARM-on-photolithography research threads) reach a commercial pilot by 2030, or does High-NA EUV foreclose the market?
- What is the practical resolution floor for e-beam in production resists — does resist blur or forward/back-scatter dominate at sub-5 nm?