Three-dimensional photoresist structures may be realized by controlling the transmitted UV light intensity in a process termed gray-scale photolithography. Light modulation is accomplished by diffraction through sub-resolution pixels on a photomask. The number of photoresist levels is determined by the number of different pixel sizes on the mask, which is restricted by mask fabrication. This drawback prevents the use of gray-scale photolithography for applications that need a high vertical resolution.

The double-exposure gray-scale photolithography technique was developed to improve the vertical resolution without increasing the number of pixel sizes. This is achieved by using two gray-scale exposures prior to development. The resulting overlay produces an exposure dose that is a combination of both exposures. Calibration is utilized to relate the pixel sizes and exposure times to the photoresist height. This calibration enables automated mask design for arbitrary 3D structures and investigation of other effects, such as misalignment between the exposures.