Photoresist-based patterning strategies have been standardized for decades since the invention of photolithography. However, there are still major challenges in the processing of certain functional structures. For example, the standard resist-based high resolution patterning process usually requires point-by-point exposure of the target resist structures, leading to extremely low throughput and an unavoidable proximity effect when defining multiscale patterns; high-energy beam irradiation can easily cause damage to the materials; and the negative-tone-resist-based lift-off process is challenging.
