METHOD FOR HIGH-RESOLUTION PROCESSING OF THIN LAYERS WITH ELECTRON BEAMS

The present invention concerns a method for etching a chromium layer in a vacuum chamber with the method steps of introducing a halogen compound into the vacuum chamber, directing an electron beam onto the area of the chromium layer to be etched and introducing an oxygen containing compound into the vacuum chamber. According to a further aspect, the present invention relates to a further method for the highly resolved removal of a layer out of metal and/or metal oxide which is arranged on an isolator or a substrate having poor thermal conductivity, comprising the method steps of arranging the layer inside a vacuum chamber, bombarding the layer with a focused electron beam with an energy of 3-30 keV, wherein the electron beam is guided such that the energy transfer per time and area causes a localized heating of the layer above its melting and/or vaporization point and wherein the removal of the layer is performed without the supply of reaction gases into the vacuum chamber.