Quantum lithography is a type of photolithography, which exploits non-classical properties of the photons, such as quantum entanglement, in order to achieve superior performance over ordinary classical lithography.
[2] Of particular importance, quantum lithography can beat the classical Rayleigh criterion for the diffraction limit.
Classical photolithography has an optical imaging resolution that is limited by the wavelength of light used.
Quantum lithography exploits the quantum entanglement between specially prepared photons in the NOON state and special photoresists, that display multi-photon absorption processes to achieve the smaller resolution without the requirement of shorter wavelengths.
The field of quantum lithography is in its infancy, and although experimental proofs of principle have been carried out using the Hong–Ou–Mandel effect,[3] it is considered promising technology.