Patterning at the nanoscale: Atomic force microscopy and extreme ultraviolet interference lithography

We present our recent results achieved using atomic force microscopy nano-oxidation and nano-indentation of thin layers of polymers, and using extreme ultraviolet interference lithography. We focus our attention on the advantages and drawbacks of such lithographic techniques. In particular, we show the possibility to create patterns on polymers compatible with the conventional metal deposition and lift-off processes on submicrometer scale (EUV-IL and nano-indentation) and we experimentally confirm the theoretical prediction on the strong dependence of the oxidation process to the sample conductivity. © 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.