Since the first low-temperature transport measurements on nanostructures, various techniques have been applied to fabricate devices of reduced dimensionality from GaAs/AlGaAs heterostructures. Here a method is presented using a lithographically patterned dielectric resist spacer to locally screen the underlying two-dimensional electron gas, which requires fewer gates than the conventional split-gateapproach. Various calixarene and resorcinarene derivatives are characterized and compared as potential high-resolution spacer materials. Typical nanostructures defined with the novel resist, C-methylcalix[4]resorcinarene, as well as a capacitance model for the effectiveness of the screening are presented. (c) 2007 American Vacuum Society.