激光热刻蚀技术是近年发展起来的利用激光热刻蚀薄膜的热变化阈值特性突破光学衍射极限进行纳米图形制备的新技术，在亚波长纳米结构器件和高密度光盘母盘制造等领域具有广阔的应用前景。阐述了激光热刻蚀技术的基本原理和特点,以及对激光热刻蚀材料性质的要求，综述了相变型激光热刻蚀薄膜材料(包括硫系相变薄膜材料、金属亚氧化物薄膜材料和陶瓷复合薄膜材料)、热分解型激光热刻蚀薄膜材料和化学反应型激光热刻蚀薄膜材料的最新研究进展。分析并总结了无机激光热刻蚀材料的激光热刻蚀机制，在此基础上对无机激光热刻蚀材料的发展趋势和前景进行了探讨。

Laser thermal lithography is a new technique developed in recent years, and is used in a number of areas including the manufacture of sub-wavelength nanostructure devices and high density optical disc mastering. Based on thermal change threshold effect of laser thermal lithography materials, the pattern size less than the optical diffraction limit can be fabricated. The fundamental principle, characteristics and requirements for the laser thermal lithography materials are presented. Then the latest research of the phase-transition laser thermal lithography thin films, including chalcogenide phase-change thin films, metal sub-oxide thin films and ceramics composite thin films, thermal decomposition laser thermal lithography thin films and chemical reaction laser thermal lithography thin films is reviewed. In addition, the thermal lithography mechanism of inorganic laser thermal lithography materials is analyzed and summarized, and the development and prospect of inorganic laser thermal lithography materials are discussed.