Fundamental principles and development of proximity-field nanopatterning toward advanced 3D nanofabrication

Three-dimensional (3D) nanoarchitectures have offered unprecedented material performances in diverse applications like energy storages, catalysts, electronic, mechanical, and photonic devices. These outstanding are attributed to unusual properties at the nanoscale, enormous surface areas, a geometrical uniqueness, comparable feature sizes with optical wavelengths. For practical use of nanoscale properties, there been developments for macroscale fabrications 3D process areas over centimeter scales. Among many fabrication methods structures proximity-field nanopatterning (PnP) is one promising techniques that generates holographic images transforms them into through lithographic process. Using conformal transparent phase masks as key factor, PnP has advantages terms stability, uniformity, reproducibility nanostructures periods from 300 nm several micrometers. Other merits realizing precise features sub-100 rapid processes interference coherent light diffracted by masks. In this review, report overall progress 2003, we present comprehensive understanding PnP, including its brief history, fundamental principles, symmetry control nanoarchitectures, issues masks, area expansion wafer-scale target applications. Finally, technical challenges prospects discussed further development technique.