Sub-10 nm lithography with self-assembled monolayers

Dots demonstrating critical resist dimensions of approximately 5 to 6 nm were formed in an octadecylsiloxane monolayer on silicon by electron beam exposure using a digital scanning electron microscope at 20 keV beam energy. The patterned dots were observed by imaging with an atomic force microscope (AFM). The electron beam size was measured to confirm that it is not the limiting factor in the exposure resolution. The limit that prevents the observation of smaller structures is either the small contrast in the AFM imaging for smaller dots or an intrinsic material limit caused by the secondary electron range.