The resolution of optical lithography and the spacing of atom lithography are limited by about half of the wavelength due to the Rayleigh limit. Here we propose a coherent atom lithography experiment which can print nanometer structures. In this proposal, we show that subwavelength spatial distribution of the atoms in the excited state can be achieved by inducing spatially modulated Rabi oscillations in two-level atoms. We use the internal energy of the atoms to excite the photoresist and it can then print the subwavelength structure into the photoresist. For the peak Rabi frequency of about 2 GHz and the recoil limited collimation, we show that sub-$10\text{-nm}$ spacing in both one- and two-dimensional space is possible.

• Received 16 September 2013

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.88.053809