Chapter 3: Direct write nanolithography

The article presents comprehensive literature on ‘direct write’ lithography methods for patterning nanomaterials. The resist or the direct-write ‘ink’, is an important ingredient of any lithography technique, and is made to play an active role in direct writing thereby tailoring the properties of the end product, while reducing the number of process steps. Direct writing also enables a good control on the composition and morphology of the nanomaterial in pattern, be it a nonstoichiometric inorganic compound, an organic material or a biomolecule. The survey includes e-beam lithography, soft and nano imprint lithography, laser based lithography as well as scanning probe lithography. A brief outlook at the end provides future course of lithography techniques in general and direct writing in particular.