Abstract
Lithography is pivotal in fabricating micro/nanoscale patterns and processing materials for electronic microdevices. However, conventional organic polymeric resists inevitably entail the use of various chemical solutions or solvents, which especially compromise fragile electronic materials featuring atomic-level surfaces. Here, we introduce inorganic selenium molecules as a lithographic mediator for sensitive electronic material processing without direct exposure to solutions or solvents. Specifically, the inorganic selenium molecular film functions as both a lithographic mediator for direct patterning due to its weak intermolecular van der Waals interactions and as a protective encapsulation layer for atomic electronic materials without compromising structural and electronic characteristics. Wafer-scale arrays of sensitive materials with high-quality, sharp edges are facilely achieved by a non-destructive mechanical peeling of the selenium layer. This approach provides a solvent-free lithographic route for microfabricating sensitive materials and high-performance electronic devices.
Data availability
Relevant data supporting the key findings of this study are available within the article and the Supplementary Information. All raw data generated during the study are available from the corresponding authors upon request.
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Acknowledgements
This study was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (92580121 [H. L.], 22535004 [T. Z.], U22A20140 [H. L.], 22350003 [T. Z.], 22409068 [C. Z.]), National Key Research and Development Program of China (2023YFB2503903 [H. L.]), the Postdoctoral Fellowship Program of CPSF (GZC20230879 [C. Z.], YJB20250020 [C. Z.]), Project funded by China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (2023M741247 [C. Z.]). We acknowledge the technical support from Huazhong University of Science and Technology Analytical & Testing Center.
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H.L. and T.Z. supervised the research project. C.Z. performed the microlithography process, optical microscopy, Raman spectrum, X-ray diffraction pattern, and film adhesion force measurement. C.Z., Y.X., and Y.L. (Y. Liu) carried out the electronic device fabrication and measurement. X.W. and C.Z. conducted the atomic force microscopy measurement. G.D. conducted the scanning electron microscopy. C.Z., Y.X., J.L., S.W., X.Z, Y.L. (Y. Li), K.L., H.L., and T.Z. designed the experiment scheme. J.L., Z.S., X.H., and Y.M. synthesized the crystal materials. C.Z., K.L., H.L., and T.Z. prepared the manuscript.
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Nature Communications thanks Peng Chen, Zhiwei Li, and the other, anonymous, reviewer for their contribution to the peer review of this work. A peer review file is available.
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Zeng, C., Xu, Y., Wei, X. et al. A universal all-dry microfabrication method for sensitive electronic materials via an inorganic molecular lithographic mediator. Nat Commun (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-68593-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-68593-z
