Laser interference nanolithography

Abstract

This paper introduces the current developments of laser interference nanolithogra-phy (LInL) including the formation of laser interference patterns, system require-ments and technological potential of the technology for nanoscale structuring of ma-terials. Laser interference nanolithography is a maskless patterning technology to produce periodic and quasi-periodic nanostructures. The technology was developed for a multi-step process of recording an interference pattern on photoresist followed by a series of process to transfer the pattern into the underlying layer. The most re-cent development of the technology has shown that, in the presence of high-energy laser beams, interference patterns can be directly written into the recording materi-als with a feature size down to ~λ/15, which is suitable for large area (up to hun-dreds of mm in diameter), low cost and high efficiency fabrication (exposure duration <10ns) of nano-structured surfaces and components.