Recent progress in near-field nanolithography using light interactions with colloidal particles: from nanospheres to three-dimensional nanostructures

Abstract

The advance of nanotechnology is firmly rooted in the development of cost-effective, versatile, and easily accessible nanofabrication techniques. The ability to pattern complex two-dimensional and three-dimensional nanostructured materials are particularly desirable, since they can have novel physical properties that are not found in bulk materials. This review article will report recent progress in utilizing self-assembly of colloidal particles for nanolithography. In these techniques, the near-field interactions of light and colloids are the sole mechanisms employed to generate the intensity distributions for patterning. Based on both ‘bottom-up’ self-assembly and ‘top-down’ lithography approaches, these processes are highly versatile and can take advantage of a number of optical effects, allowing the complex 3D nanostructures to be patterned using single exposures. There are several key advantages including low equipment cost, facile structure design, and patterning scalability, which will be discussed in detail. We will outline the underlying optical effects, review the geometries that can be fabricated, discuss key limitations, and highlight potential applications in nanophotonics, optoelectronic devices, and nanoarchitectured materials.

Continuous roll-to-roll patterning of three-dimensional periodic nanostructures

“…It is therefore important to examine how the nanosphere assembly yield translates to the 3D lithography yield. For positive photoresist, the positions below the spheres upon normal illumination will be holes due to the near-field focusing effect 55 . Therefore, the exposure dose can be estimated by measuring the hole diameter using top-view SEM imaging.…”

“…Therefore, precise quantitative metrology of the assembly yield rate over a large area is challenging. In recent work, various groups have demonstrated that colloidal nanospheres can be used as a near-field optical element for nanolithography to create 3D periodic nanostructures [53][54][55][56][57][58] , nanovolcanoes 59,60 , and hierarchical structures 61 . However, in these proof-of-concept demonstrations, the colloidal assembly and lithography were performed manually within a limited area.…”

All-dielectric concentration of electromagnetic fields at the nanoscale: the role of photonic nanojets

“…227 This is especially the case when the microsphere is embedded in an atomic force microscopy (AFM) cantilever because the precise control of the AFM cantilever translates into precise positioning and movement of the generated PNJs. 228,229 See the cantilever-based nanolithography in Fig. 9(b).…”

“…231,232 We recommend ref. 228 to our readers for more information regarding microsphere-based nanofabrication. Optical data storage.…”

Manufacture of Binary Nanofeatured Polymeric Films Using Nanosphere Lithography and Ultraviolet Roller Imprinting

“…Nanospheres lithography [16,17] is a fabrication process with reference to the selfassembly of nanocolloids. A lithography mask is first prepared by submerging the substrate in the nanocolloids suspension.…”