Submicron optical near-field diffraction patterns obtained by irradiation of octadecyltrimethoxysilane self-assembled monolayers with light at 157Â nm

Nanostructures less than 200 nm in size are created by the Fresnel diffraction of 157 nm light at the aperture margins of a photomask through proximity irradiation of an octadecyltrimethoxysilane self-assembled monolayer. Photochemical decomposition of the organic monolayer creates complex nanostructure patterns, according to the light intensity distribution at the substrate location. Dimensions and distribution of the nanostructures correlate well with the spatial distribution of the light intensity calculated using the Fresnel equations.