A new method of contact scanning near-field optical lithography has been developed to enable fabrication of elements with characteristic dimensions of 30-50 nm. The method involves the deposition of a thin-layer polymer-metal coating, the thermal destructive deformation of a top metal layer with a probe of scanning near-field optical microscope (SNOM), the transfer of the pattern through the polymer by using dry etching and the formation of various nanoelements through this prepared mask. The method is applicable to any material, e.g. metal, dielectric, light/heavy doped semiconductors for the formation of nanometre objects. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.