Programmable soft lithography: solvent-assisted nanoscale embossing

Nano Lett. 2011 Feb 9;11(2):311-5. doi: 10.1021/nl102206x. Epub 2010 Aug 5.

Abstract

This paper reports an all-moldable nanofabrication platform that can generate, from a single master, large-area nanoscale patterns with programmable densities, fill factors, and lattice symmetries. Solvent-assisted nanoscale embossing (SANE) could increase the spacing of patterns up to 100% as well as decrease them down to 50% in a single step by stretching or heating a polymer substrate. Also, SANE could reduce critical feature sizes as small as 45% compared to the master by controlled swelling of patterned molds with different solvents. These capabilities were applied to generate plasmonic nanoparticle arrays with continuously variable separations and hence different optical properties on the same substrate.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Crystallization / methods*
  • Elastomers / chemistry*
  • Equipment Design
  • Equipment Failure Analysis
  • Macromolecular Substances / chemistry
  • Materials Testing
  • Molecular Conformation
  • Nanomedicine
  • Nanoparticles / chemistry*
  • Nanoparticles / ultrastructure*
  • Nanotechnology / methods*
  • Particle Size
  • Refractometry
  • Solvents / chemistry*
  • Surface Plasmon Resonance / methods*
  • Surface Properties

Substances

  • Elastomers
  • Macromolecular Substances
  • Solvents