All-dielectric optically active planar chiral metamaterials have,been fabricated by electron beam lithography. We have demonstrated the effectiveness of a polymeric charge dispersion layer in dramatically reducing charge buildup during the exposure of chemically amplified resists on dielectric substrates. This technique has allowed the fabrication of large-area high density planar chiral structures with sub-200 nm resolutions and stitching accuracy. A significant change in the polarization state of visible light transmitted from patterned surfaces is observed, including a maximum 9 degrees change in ellipticity and 22 degrees change in polarization azimuth rotation. These effects are shown to be dependent on the sense of chirality of the surface and the input polarization state of the light. Furthermore, we have also demonstrated that these dielectric planar chiral surfaces, with enantiomeric chiral designs, show a strong modulation in the intensity of the diffracted beams. These optical activities could make these surfaces particularly promising candidates for the development of integrable solid-state polarization sensitive devices. (c) 2006 American Vacuum Society.