Microlithographic fabrication of structures

1. A microlithographic method of forming asymmetric structures, the method comprising:

forming a plurality of discrete structures extending from a common surface on a substrate;

applying a masking material over the plurality of discrete structures under first conditions that cause the masking material to asymmetrically cover the plurality of discrete structures such that at least a portion of one side of each discrete structure of the plurality of discrete structures is free of the masking material, wherein the first conditions that cause the masking material to asymmetrically cover the plurality of discrete structures comprise inclining the substrate at a first non-normal angle to a deposition direction from which the masking material is applied by a deposition system;

applying a metal catalyst layer for metal assisted chemical etching (MACE) over the plurality of discrete structures under second conditions that cause the metal catalyst layer to asymmetrically cover the plurality of discrete structures such that at least a second portion of one side of each discrete structure of the plurality of discrete structures is free of the metal catalyst layer, wherein the second conditions that cause the metal catalyst layer to asymmetrically cover the plurality of discrete structures comprise inclining the substrate at a second non-normal angle to the deposition direction from which the metal catalyst layer is applied by the deposition system, wherein the second non-normal angle is different from the first non-normal angle;

etching an area of the plurality of discrete structures that is not covered by the masking material and that is covered by the metal catalyst layer; and

stripping the masking material from the plurality of discrete structures.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of structures include a first region of structures and second region of structures, and

wherein applying the masking material to the plurality of discrete structures asymmetrically comprises masking the second region of structures while applying the masking material to the first region of structures.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein applying the masking material to the plurality of discrete structures asymmetrically comprises masking the first region of structures while applying the masking material to the second region of structures.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein etching an area of the plurality of discrete structures comprises performing one of a wet etch process, a dry etch process, or an ion beam etching process.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second portion is different from the first portion.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the metal catalyst layer comprises Au, Pt, or an Au—Pd alloy.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, after stripping the masking material from the substrate, etching the plurality of discrete structures.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, after stripping the masking material from the substrate, wet etching the plurality of discrete structures.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of discrete structures, before etching the area of the plurality of discrete structures, have a square profile, rectangular profile, trapezoidal profile, or a triangular profile.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the masking material comprises one or more of: Cr, Ti, SiO 2 , Al 2 O 3 , ZrO 2 , Ag, Pt, and Au.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of discrete structures comprise Si, SiO 2 , a polymer material, or an organic-inorganic hybrid material.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of discrete structures are nano-structures.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of discrete structures are micro-structures.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the conditions that cause the masking material to asymmetrically cover the plurality of discrete structures such that at least a portion of one side of each discrete structure of the plurality of discrete structures is free of the masking material comprise:

inclining the substrate at a second non-normal angle to a deposition direction from which the masking material is applied; and

applying the masking material while the substrate is inclined at the second non-normal angle,

wherein the second non-normal angle is different from the first non-normal angle.

15. An optical device comprising:

a substrate; and

a diffraction pattern on the substrate, the diffraction pattern comprising a plurality of asymmetric structures, wherein the plurality of asymmetric structures are formed by a process comprising:

forming a plurality of discrete structures extending from a common surface on the substrate;

applying a masking material over the plurality of discrete structures under first conditions that cause the masking material to asymmetrically cover the plurality of discrete structures such that at least a portion of one side of each discrete structure of the plurality of discrete structures is free of the masking material, wherein the first conditions that cause the masking material to asymmetrically cover the discrete structures comprise inclining the substrate at a first non-normal angle to a deposition direction from which the masking material is applied by a deposition system;

applying a metal catalyst layer for metal assisted chemical etching (MACE) over the plurality of discrete structures under second conditions that cause the metal catalyst layer to asymmetrically cover the plurality of discrete structures such that at least a second portion of one side of each discrete structure of the plurality of discrete structures is free of the metal catalyst layer, wherein the second conditions that cause the metal catalyst layer to asymmetrically cover the plurality of discrete structures comprise inclining the substrate at a second non-normal angle to the deposition direction from which the metal catalyst layer is applied by the deposition system, wherein the second non-normal angle is different from the first non-normal angle;

etching an area of the plurality of discrete structures that is not covered by the masking material and that is covered by the metal catalyst layer; and

stripping the masking material from the plurality of discrete structures.

16. The optical device of claim 15 , wherein each structure of the plurality of asymmetric structures has a first side surface and a second side surface opposite the first side surface, and a profile of the first side surface is asymmetric with respect to a profile of the second side surface.

17. The optical device of claim 15 , wherein the device is an optical projection system.

18. The optical device of claim 15 , wherein the device is a virtual reality system or an augmented reality system.