Atom lithography using light forces

Atom lithography provides a new technology that enables one to write directly nanometer scale structures onto a substrate in a parallel process. With this technique the trajectories of atoms are manipulated by light forces that efficiently focus the atoms in a standing light field produced by a laser. By chosing different standing light field configurations one can write different periodic patterns. Theoretical calculations predict a linewidth of the deposited structures in the range of 10 - 20 nm. The technique is a parallel, direct and species selective process involving low particle energy that prevents any damage of the substrate.