Solutions to a proximity effect in high resolution electron beam induced deposition

A new type of proximity effect in electron beam induced deposition (EBID) is presented. Proximity effects are well known in resist based electron beam lithography (EBL), where they present themselves as an extra and unintentional exposure of the resist layer surrounding the irradiated areas. Several types of proximity effects have already been reported for EBID, which are of a different nature. The authors report a proximity effect where the amount of deposited mass increases with each new line that is deposited. This effect occurs when parallel lines are deposited at a spacing close to the width of the lines. The increase in deposition rate was found to be dependent on the angle between the irradiated target and the incident electron beam. Results from a simulation based on this model qualititatively show the same trend. A successful strategy for reducing the effect is presented. (C) 2007 American Vacuum Society.