Proximity effect

For EBL, Proximity effect is inevitable

→ Especially for negative-tone resist, the back scattering of electron form substrate into resis will leads to bridging among the ____ pattern

Thinner resist layers improve the resolution that can be achieved with HSQ asa high-resolution e-beam resist.

The proximity effect in electron beam lithography (EBL) is the phenomenon that the exposure dose distribution, and hence the developed pattern, is wider than the scanned pattern, due to the interactions of the primary beam electrons with the resist and substrate. These cause the resist outside the scanned pattern to receive a non-zero dose.