Patent Number: 
Section: claims

1. A near-field scanning optical microscope system, composing:an NSOM probe; andhigh precision translational stages for moving one of the NSOM probe and a substrate such that the NSOM probe traverses, in continuous motion, over the entire substrate. 2. The near-field scanning optical microscope system of claim 1, wherein one or more of the translational stages comprise granite air bearing stages. 3. The NSOM system of claim 2, wherein at least one of the translational stages is capable of continuous motion of at least 300 mm. 4. The NSOM system of claim 2, wherein at least one of the translational stages is capable of 2 nm step sizes. 5. The NSOM system of claim 3, wherein at least one of the translational stages is capable of 2 nm step sizes. 6. The near-field scanning optical microscope system of claim 1, further comprising a rotational stage mounted with the translational stages, for aligning axes of the substrate to axes of the translational stages. 7. The near-field scanning optical microscope system of claim 1, further comprising means for generating NSOM image data. 8. The near-field scanning optical microscope system of claim 7, wherein NSOM image data is used to calculate registration correction factors for subsequent photoresist exposure. 9. The near-field scanning optical microscope system of claim 7, further comprising a light source operable to alternate between a first wavelength of light, to generate the NSOM image data, and a second wavelength of light, to expose photoresist. 10. The near-field scanning optical microscope system of claim 1, further comprising a photodiode integrated with a substrate holder. 11. The near-field scanning optical microscope system of claim 1, wherein the NSOM probe traverses the substrate in one of a vector scan and a raster scan. 12. The NSOM system of claim 11, wherein the NSOM probe traverses the substrate in a vector scan. 13. A near-field scanning optical microscope system, comprising:an array of NSOM probes; andhigh precision translational stages for moving one of the array of NSOM probes and the substrate such that the array of NSOM probes traverses, in continuous motion, over the entire substrate. 14. The near-field scanning optical microscope system of claim 13, wherein one or more of the translational stages comprise granite air bearing stages. 15. The NSOM system of claim 13, wherein at least one of the translational stages is capable of continuous motion of at least 300 mm. 16. The near-field scanning optical microscope system of claim 13, further comprising a rotational stage mounted with the translational stages, for aligning axes of the substrate to axes of the translational stages. 17. The near-field scanning optical microscope system of claim 13, further comprising means for generating NSOM image data. 18. The near-field scanning optical microscope system of claim 17, wherein NSOM image data is used to calculate registration correction factors for subsequent photoresist exposure. 19. The near-field scanning optical microscope system of claim 17, further comprising a light source operable to alternate between a first wavelength of light, to generate the NSOM image data, and a second wavelength of light, to expose photoresist. 20. The near-field scanning optical microscope system of claim 13, further comprising a photodiode integrated with a substrate holder. 21. The near-field scanning optical microscope system of claim 13, wherein the array of NSOM probes traverses the substrate in one of a vector scan and a raster scan. 22. A method for exposing photoresist on a substrate, comprising:translating a surface of the substrate across an NSOM probe in continuous motion, translating comprising utilizing a high precision translational stages; andselectively exposing the photoresist through the NSOM probe during the continuous motion. 23. The method of claim 22, the step of translating comprising adjusting a speed of the substrate relative to the NSOM probe, to adjust exposure of the photoresist. 24. The method of claim 22, further comprising a step of selectively exposing the photoresist through a photomask, before the step of translating. 25. The method of claim 24, the step of translating comprising utilizing image data from a latent image of the photoresist to align the NSOM probe. 26. The method of claim 24, further comprising the step of developing the photoresist, after the step of selectively exposing the photoresist through a photomask, before the step of translating. 27. The method of claim 26, the step of translating comprising utilizing image data from a developed photoresist image to align the NSOM probe. 28. A method for exposing photoresist on a substrate, comprising:translating a surface of the substrate across an array of NSOM probes in continuous motion, translating comprising utilizing a high precision translational stages; andselectively exposing the photoresist through the array of NSOM probes during the continuous motion. 29. A software product comprising instructions, stored on computer-readable media, wherein the instructions, when executed by a computer,perform steps forgenerating control signals for high precision translational stages to translate a surface of a substrate across an NSOM probe in continuous motion, andselectively exposing photoresist through the NSOM probe during the continuous motion. 30. The software product of claim 29, wherein the Step of generating control signals comprises utilizing design database information to adjust a translational speed produced by the control signals, to adjust exposure of the photoresist. 31. The software product of claim 29, further comprising instructions, stored on computer-readable media, wherein the instructions, when executed by a computer, perform steps forgenerating NSOM image data,calculating at least one of pattern registration data and scaling data from the NSOM image data, andutilizing the at least one of pattern registration data and scaling data to generate corrections for the control signals, to align the NSOM probe to features of the substrate. 32. The software product of claim 31, wherein the step of generating NSOM image data comprises utilizing a first light source, andthe step of selectively exposing photoresist comprises utilizing a second light source.