1. A method of exposing a substrate in a three dimensional pattern comprising the steps of: providing a substrate for exposure; exposing the substrate in an exposing step, the exposing step comprising contacting a portion of the substrate with an energy source for a period of time sufficient to render the portion of the substrate susceptible to a developer to produce a modified substrate wherein the energy source has a fixed position, and wherein during the exposing step, the substrate is manipulated according to a manipulation algorithm in one or more translational dimensions and/or rotational dimensions relative to the energy source; and wherein the manipulation algorithm is determined using stochastic optimization computations.