In situ observation and correction of resist patterns in atomic force microscope lithography

In atomic force microscope lithography using negative-type resist, the increase of the resist thickness of the exposed part before development is observed in the dose range from 8×10−13 to 10−16 cm−2. The increase is about 1 nm with a dose of 8×10−13 cm−2, which is less than one-tenth of the threshold dose for polymerization of resist. The phenomena of the increase of resist thickness is used for in situ observation of the exposed pattern before development. With this in situ observation, precise correction of the lithography pattern can be made before development.