Nitrocellulose films have been shown to function as self-developing resist layers that are sensitive to both low energy ion bombardment by heavy ions such as Ar+ or Xe+ and to 193 nm UV radiation from a pulsed excimer laser. The resist develops at 0.6 μm s−1 for a beam of 2 keV Ar+ ions (1 mA cm−2), and has a sensitivity of ∼2 μm cm2 J−1 for ArF laser radiation, together with a demonstrated optical resolution of 300 nm. The decomposition products of the self-developing resist consist primarily of water, nitrogen, carbon monoxide, nitric oxide, and carbon dioxide. When exposed to light ions, electrons, ArF laser radiation at energy densities less than 20 mJ cm−2, or heat, the resist decomposes leaving a nonvolatile residue. The formation of this residue is believed to be responsible for the comparative stability of nitrocellulose under reactive ion etching. The reactive ion etching rate in CHF3 is about twice as fast for nitrocellulose as for SiO2. The etching rate can be reduced by the addition of volatile metal salts to the nitrocellulose, but this also reduces the rate of self-development produced by heavy ion bombardment.