The fabrication of a SiO_2 hard mask for single dopant-based quantum hardware presents a great challenge for single ion-implantation [1]. Thermal scanning problem lithography is a greyscale nanolithography technique with 10 nm resolution. One can take advantage of the sharp apex tip of the t-SPL to pattern round shapes the size of the apex diameter [2]. This pattern can then be amplified with anisotropic etching in order to amplify it vertically and create very small opening with a large depth [3]. The objectives of this project are to work on a transfer technique to amplify the greyscale pattern from the PPA resist onto SiO_2 which serves as the hardmask. All of this while preserving the quality and shape of the greyscale. The targeted amplification is of 5:1 for SiO_2:PPA. Another objective is to prove that a sub-10 nm trench could be obtained from a t-SPL patterning transferred and amplified to SiO_2 while maintaining a point of contact surface. We worked on a gas composition with high fluorine to carbon ratio, SF_6/CH_3. The obtained amplification of the greyscale is above 5 while preserving a good overall shape. This result is obtained via an optimization of the dry etching selectivity of SiO_2:PPA. The reduction of the bias power in the dry etching process leads to a significant increase of the selectivity. The process achieves an amplification of 5:1 of a sine wave pattern from PPA to the SiO_2. The reduction of the bias even leads to an amplification of 8:1. The second goal of the project isn’t fully fulfilled. The point of contact indentation is achieved but not at the expected scale. However, it demonstrates that with a better and thinner t-SPL tip and some tuning from the patterning the point of contact can achieve at a scale close to 10 nm.