Fig. 1. Formation of localized lithographic region. (a) Temperature rise profile and localization lithographic region induced by the gasfication threshold effect. (b) The schematic of directly writing nanoscale-resolved patterns on MHC thin films.

Fig. 2. Thermal properties of MHC. (a) TG and (b) DSC.

Fig. 3. (a) Surface morphology and (b) absorption light spectrum at a visible light wavelength of the prepared thin films.

Fig. 4. AFM images of the patterns directly written on the MHC thin film. (a) Pit-shaped patterns written at P=1.6  mW and tp=40  ns: (a1) two-dimensional image, (a2) cross-sectional profile, and (a3) three-dimensional image; (b) pit-shaped patterns written at P=2  mW and tp=20  ns: (b1) two-dimensional image, (b2) cross-sectional profile, and (b3) three-dimensional image; (c) line-shaped patterns written at P=3  mW and tp=20  ns: (c1) two-dimensional image, (c2) cross-sectional profile, and (c3) three-dimensional image; (d) coarse line written at P=5  mW and tp=50  ns: (d1) two-dimensional image, (d2) cross-sectional profile, and (d3) three-dimensional image.

Fig. 5. AFM images of the patterns written at P=3  mW and tp=15  ns. (A) The sample with the thermal sink of the Ag thin film: (a1) two-dimensional image, (a2) cross-sectional profile, and (a3) three-dimensional image; (B) without thermal sink of Ag thin film: (b1) two-dimensional image, (b2) cross-sectional profile, and (b3) three-dimensional image.

Fig. 6. Results of pattern transfer: (a) patterns on the MHC thin films obtained at P=4  mW and tp=25  ns. (b) Patterns are transferred from MHC thin film to the fused silica substrate by ICP dry-etching method.