Interference photolithography with metamaterials

We present that a sub-diffraction-limited photolithography technique can be theoretically achieved by affiliating an anisotropic metamaterial under the conventional photolithographic mask. Based on the special dispersion characteristics of the metamaterial, only the enhanced evanescent waves with high spatial frequencies can transmit through the metamaterial and engage in the lithography process. Rigorous coupled wave analysis shows that with 442 nm exposure light, one-dimensional periodical structures of 40 nm feature can be patterned, far beyond the diffraction limit. This technique provides an alternative method to fabricate large-area nanostructures.