Research Progress of Hydrogen Desorption Lithography Technology

Silicon-based semiconductor technology, as the cornerstone of the semiconductor industry, has achieved manufacturing precision at the scale of a few nanometers and is now advancing toward atomic-level precision. However, due to the Rayleigh diffraction limit, traditional extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography is unable to meet the demands for atomic-scale precision required in future semiconductor manufacturing. As an atomically precise lithography technique, hydrogen depassivation lithography (HDL) has emerged as a strategic solution to address this challenge, owing to its exceptional spatial resolution and scalability. Leveraging the atom manipulation capabilities of scanning tunneling microscope (STM), HDL enables atomic-scale patterning by precisely controlling the desorption of hydrogen atoms on silicon surfaces. Since its introduction in the 1990s, HDL has successfully fabricated devices such as single-atom transistors and quantum logic gates, which are unattainable through traditional lithography processes, showcasing its transformative advantages. This article provides a comprehensive review of the development history and key breakthroughs of HDL technology, while also exploring its future prospects. By further improving processing efficiency and reliability, HDL technology is poised to enable widespread applications in various fields, including semiconductor manufacturing, nanoimprint technology, and quantum device manufacturing, thereby driving significant progress in the future of semiconductor technology.