2 nm Quantum Optical Lithography

Optical lithography is a key technique in the development of semiconductor industry. However, diffraction effects limit the minimal resolvable feature size to the Rayleigh diffraction limit of λ/2, where λ is the optical wavelength. Many technologies have been proposed in the past to replace optical lithography. Here, we present a new quantum optical method to do subwavelength lithography which is realizable by our current technology now. Using TEM, STEM, SEM and AFM measurements we show that 2 nm width lines could be written in novel materials such as fluorescent photosensitive glass-ceramics by a quantum multiphoton confinement effect. Exposure to the focus laser diode beam (λ=650 nm) writes high-density lines with 4 nm pitch on the sample surface at room temperature, far beyond the diffraction limit, a fundamental barrier to the exploitation of optical lithography. 2 nm Quantum Optical Lithography is an important step to enable full-wafer-level nanofabrication at this resolution.