ATOM LITHOGRAPHY USING LIGHT FORCES

Atom lithography provides a new technology that enables one to write d irectly nanometer scale structures onto a substrate in a parallel proc ess. With this technique the trajectories of atoms are manipulated by light forces that efficiently focus the atoms in a standing light fiel d produced by a laser. By chosing different standing light field confi gurations one can write different periodic patterns. Theoretical calcu lations predict a linewidth of the deposited structures in the range o f 10 - 20 nm. The technique is a parallel, direct and species selectiv e process involving low particle energy that prevents any damage of th e substrate.