Chiral Nematic Fluids as Masks for Lithography

Abstract

A lithographic scheme is reported that uses a cholesteric liquid crystal with its helical axis in the plane of the sample as a "mask" for imprinting patterns in a photoresist over a large area. On the application of an electric field the cholesteric liquid crystals produce a texture that acts as a lattice of cylindrical lenses for one polarization of a light beam. This is used in photolithography to create parallel lines over large areas.