IBM has unveiled a new method of direct writing (like an inkjet printer) to substrates that harnesses an atomic force microscope (AFM) to electronically control molecular-scale lithography.

For semiconductors, IBM’s new electronically controlled direct writing method uses AFM positioning accuracy to define complex patterns in a variety of materials with features down to 10 nanometers — five times smaller than today’s e-beam lithography equipment and 10 times smaller than photolithography.

It also holds the possibility of direct-writing wafers with nanoscale arrays, by using the multiple-AFM tips ganged together.