photolithography

noun

pho·​to·​li·​thog·​ra·​phy ˌfō-tō-li-ˈthä-grə-fē How to pronounce photolithography (audio)
1
: lithography in which photographically prepared plates are used
2
: a process involving the photographic transfer of a pattern to a surface for etching (as in producing an integrated circuit)
photolithograph
ˌfō-tō-ˈli-thə-ˌgraf How to pronounce photolithography (audio)
noun or transitive verb
photolithographic
ˌfō-tō-ˌli-thə-ˈgra-fik How to pronounce photolithography (audio)
adjective
photolithographically
ˌfō-tō-ˌli-thə-ˈgra-fi-k(ə-)lē How to pronounce photolithography (audio)
adverb

Examples of photolithography in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The performance-per-watt frontier has shifted from photolithography to the atomic layer. — Sundeep Bajikar, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2025 Like other photolithography masks, this is made by etching a pattern using electron-beam lithography. — IEEE Spectrum, 2 Jan. 2025 As with photolithography, the technique used to create integrated circuits on silicon wafers, the method, often called optical projection bioprinting, casts a pattern of light and dark shapes across the entire printing field. — Paul Sisson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Jan. 2026 In semiconductor manufacturing, helium's cooling properties are used to transfer heat, with the gas also indispensable in photolithography, a technique used to print each chip's intricate circuitry. — Dylan Butts, CNBC, 8 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for photolithography

Word History

Etymology

International Scientific Vocabulary

First Known Use

1856, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of photolithography was in 1856

Rhymes for photolithography

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Browse Nearby Words

photolithographic
photolithography
photolithoprint
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Cite this Entry

“Photolithography.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/photolithography. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on photolithography

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about photolithography

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