High-resolution systems for microfabrication

Extensive work on the fabrication of thin-film microstructures began in the early 1960's when it became apparent that thousands or even millions of circuits could potentially be integrated into a single piece of silicon less than a centimeter on a side. In the years since, the potential has been realized, as one can see from figure 1, and has produced the well-known dramatic growth of the microelectronics industry. The same technologies that make large-scale integrated circuits possible also make possible a variety of other devices of scientific and technological interest, including magnetic bubble devices, high-speed computer switching circuits based on the Josephson effect, surface acoustic-wave devices, integrated optical circuits, Josephson microbridges and zone-plate lenses for focusing soft x rays.