Minimum feature sizeThe concept of a "minimum feature size" is important in mask design. The minimum feature size is the width of the smallest line or gap that appears in your design. When the mask is produced, the minimum feature size will be required to set up the equipment. A small minimum feature size will mean that the mask creation process takes a long time and becomes increasingly expensive; with very small features (sub-micron) it may be necessary to perform additional processing of the mask for optical correction purposes. This should not happen for most micromachining applications, however: one would expect to have minimum feature sizes in the region of a few micrometers. |