A method for electron-beam patterning includes forming a conductive material layer on a substrate; forming a bottom anti-reflective coating (BARC) layer on the conductive material layer; forming a resist layer on the BARC layer; and directing an electron beam (e-beam) to the sensitive resist layer for an electron beam patterning process. The BARC layer is designed such that a top electrical potential of the resist layer is substantially zero during the e-beam patterning process.