Comparative study of the sidewall shape and proximity effect of the AR-N 7520 negative electron beam resist

Abstract This paper deals with the performance of the AR-N7520 ( Allresist ) negative electron beam resist (EB resist) which was selected as an etch mask for the fabrication of gratings on GaAs substrates. The developed resist sidewall shape is crucial for this purpose. The required near-to-vertical sidewall shape can be achieved by optimizing the electron beam lithography (EBL) process based on experimental investigations and computer simulations. The sidewall shape dependence on the EBL parameters (exposure dose, resist pattern, etc.) and the proximity effect are studied.