Nanolithography with a high-resolution STEM

A high-resolution scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) with a beam diameter approaching 0.6 nm has been adapted for the patterning of complex fine-line nanostructures. An IBM PC XT is used as the pattern generator to direct the scan electronics from a Cambridge Stereoscan 250 which have been interfaced with the scanning coils of the STEM. A study of the ultimate resolution of the newly designed acid-catalyzed resist poly(p-t-butyloxycarbonyloxystyrene) has been carried out. The STEM has proven to be a flexible tool in the fabrication of individual nanostructure devices for quantum transport studies in mesoscopic devices smaller than an electron phase-coherence length.