A typical method for fabricating micro- and nanostructures (such as semiconductor computer chips, MEMS or microfluidic devices) is to create pattern out of a resist on a surface, and then etch or chemically modify the un-protected areas of the surface. Resists can be patterened by a variety of methods, such as photolithography (a photoresist), electron beam lithography (an electron beam resist), nanoimprint lithography (an imprint resist), etc. A resist that is weakened by exposure to the patterning method (e.g. light, electrons, mechanical force, etc.) is termed a positive resist, while a resist that is strengthened upon exposure is termed a negative resist.
