  The future success of integrated circuits (IC) technology relies on the
continuing miniaturization of the feature size, allowing more components per
chip and higher speed. Extreme anisotropy opens new opportunities for spatial
pattern compression from the micro- to nano-scale. Such compression, enabling
visible light-based lithographic patterning not restricted by the fundamental
diffraction limit,if realized,may address the ever-increasing demand of IC
industry for inexpensive, all-optical nanoscale lithography. By exploiting
strongly anisotropic optical properties of engineered nanostructures, we
realize the first experimental demonstration of hyperlens-based
photolithography, facilitating optical patterning below the diffraction limit
using a diffraction-limited mask. We demonstrate that the diffraction-limited
features on a mask can be de-magnified to form the subwavelength patterns on
the photoresist using visible light. This unique functionality,enabled by the
hyperbolic dispersive properties of the medium combined with the cylindrical
shape of the structure, opens a new approach to the future all-optical
nanolithography.
