Two scanning electron beam lithography (SEBL) patterning processes have been developed, one positive and one negative tone. The processes feature nanometer-scale resolution, chemical amplification for faster throughput, long film life under vacuum, and sufficient etch resistance to enable patterning of a variety of materials with a metal-free (CMOS/MEMS compatible) tool set. These resist processes were developed to address two limitations of conventional SEBL resist processes: (1) low areal throughput and (2) limited compatibility with the traditional microfabrication infrastructure.