Implementation of maskless laser lithography using a Raman spectroscopy microprobe

A new use of a Raman spectroscopy microprobe is described. This kind of instrument uses an intense light source, usually a laser, to obtain chemical information from the scattered light sent to the sample through a microscope objective lens. A Raman microprobe is most often equipped with a motorized stage. The coupling of a focused laser light with the possibility of moving the stage under the very same light can be used to perform maskless photolithography as a laser writer. The versatility and resolution of this application are tested and described, producing different arrays of holes on photoresist. Holes as small as 1 mum are produced, thus demonstrating a lateral resolution sufficient for several applications. As an example of application, a pattern of a human protein, fibronectin, has been produced on a gold surface, which can then be used for the study of cell adhesion.