Hard X-ray Nano Patterning using a Sectioned Multilayer

We report a hard x-ray patterning capable of drawing lines with a width below 100 nm using x-rays at 0.165 nm. A specially prepared mask based on multilayer growth technology was used as an x-ray mask effectively. The x-ray Talbot effect in near field was investigated and utilized in the patterning. Since multilayers with a few nanometer layer spacing are readily available, the proposed hard x-ray nano patterning, free of the limit imposed by the Rayleigh criterion in optical range, can potentially be an ultimate optical lithography technique.