General mathematical model for the period chirp in interference lithography.

We present a general analytical model for the calculation of the spatial distribution of the grating period, enabling the unification of all configurations of classical laser interference lithography (LIL) and scanning-beam interference lithography (SBIL) into one formalism. This is possible due to the consideration of Gaussian beams instead of point sources which allow for the accurate description of not only the laser's far-field but also its near-field. The proposed model enables the calculation of the grating period, the inclination and the slant of the grating lines on arbitrarily shaped substrates, originating from the interference of arbitrarily orientated and positioned Gaussian beams.