Areas of photoresist not struck by ultraviolet light are removed in a developing solution.
Each of the patterned areas will become a separate microelectronics chip.
UV photolithography has served the integrated circuit industry for decades. But in the newest chips, we now want to define features smaller than the wavelength of UV light. But light cannot be focused to smaller than its wavelength.
Researchers are therefore experimenting with completely different lithographic techniques.
To learn about new electron beam techniques, click here. To learn about X-ray (or "extreme UV") techniques, click here.
