A method for electron beam nanolithography without the need for development step involves depositing a film of a resist comprising functionalized fullerenes on a substrate, and writing features by exposure to an electron beam with an accelerating voltage and dose rate sufficient to promote heating or thermal degradation of the functionalized fullerene in the irradiated volume such that a pattern is generated without a subsequent development step or with an aqueous developer. Lithographic features of about 1 nm or greater can be formed.