High-resolution commercial photomasks and x-ray masks are at present manufactured by a multistep process which involves the use of etching. This route imposes a limitation on the resolution that can be achieved. We describe here a new approach to the fabrication of x-ray masks involving the use of organometallic compounds which undergo direct conversion to metal under the influence of electron beam irradiation. This approach permits fabrication of both x-ray masks and extreme ultraviolet masks in essentially a single processing step. The attainable resolution is unaffected by any limitation incurred by etching processes and is dependent only on such factors as electron scattering and electron beam diameter. We describe here the production of a gold x-ray mask, which was used in conjunction with a compact laser plasma source to demonstrate the lithographic process. ©1998 American Institute of Physics.