electron beam lithography
Using electron beams to create the mask patterns directly on a chip. The wavelength of an electron beam is only a few picometers compared to the 248 to 365 nanometer wavelengths of light used to create the traditional photomasks.
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| Magnified 35,000 Times |
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| The tiny lines on this silicon wafer were created using Lucent's SCALPEL electron beam lithography. The right-leaning lines are .08 microns wide. It would take 1,250 of them to equal the width of one human hair. (Image courtesy of Lucent Technologies.) |