Fabricating Nanoscale Device Features Using the 2-Step NERIME Nanolithography Process

The 2-step negative resist image by dry etching (2-step NERIME) focused ion beam (FIB) top surface imaging (TSI) process is a novel nanolithography technique for creating nanometer scale resist features using conventional DNQ/novolak resists. The 2-step NERIME process combines the advantages of FIB lithography and TSI processing, delivering high aspect ratio nanometer-scale resist critical dimensions (CDs). Previous work has reported 90nm resist CDs on topography using the 2-Step NERIME process, and 80nm etched features masked using resist patterned by the 2-step NERIME process. We further extend the 2-step NERIME process, and demonstrate its potential as a low-cost and convenient nanolithography option for proof-of-concept nanoscale fabrication, through the creation of 90nm titanium device features.