Patterning Functional Materials Using Channel Diffused Plasma-Etched Self-Assembled Monolayer Templates

Abstract

A simple and cost-effective methodology for large-area micrometer-scale patterning of a wide range of metallic and oxidic functional materials is presented. Self-assembled monolayers (SAM) of alkyl thiols on Au were micropatterned by channel-diffused oxygen plasma etching, a method in which selected areas of SAM were protected from plasma oxidation via a soft lithographic stamp. The patterned SAMs were used as templates for site-selective electrodeposition, electroless deposition and solution-phase deposition of functional materials such as ZnO, Ni, Ag thin films, and ZnO nanowires. The patterned SAMs and functional materials were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and tunneling AFM (TUNA).

Large Area Resist‐Free Soft Lithographic Patterning of Graphene

“…Therefore, there is a need for new parallel patterning strategies for large area fabrication that are capable of enabling the mass production of graphene based devices and interconnects. We present a soft lithography‐based approach to pattern chemical vapor deposition (CVD) grown graphene by direct channel diffused plasma etching 18. Channel diffused plasma surface modification has been demonstrated as a fast and inexpensive tool to achieve large area surface modification or etching of self‐assembled monolayers on silicon, gold,18, 19 and plastic substrates 20.…”

Sub-50 nm scale to micrometer scale soft lithographic patterning of functional materials

“…We employed also another soft lithographic method, termed channel diffused plasma surface modification [28,29], in combination with masked gas phase patterning to fabricate more complex multifunctional surface patterns on multiple length scales. In the example shown in Figure 8a, an OTS SAM that covered the entire substrate was made first.…”

“…Oxygen plasma treatment is a common technique to clean substrates [27,28,29] or chemically modify plastic surfaces to induce hydrophilicity [27]. In soft lithographic techniques like micromolding in capillaries (MIMIC) and microtransfer molding (µTM), oxygen plasma is used to increase the surface energy of the PDMS surface to improve the wetting and promote the flow of solgel precursor solutions in PDMS channels [28,29].…”

“…In soft lithographic techniques like micromolding in capillaries (MIMIC) and microtransfer molding (µTM), oxygen plasma is used to increase the surface energy of the PDMS surface to improve the wetting and promote the flow of solgel precursor solutions in PDMS channels [28,29]. In the present paper we exploited the fact that the hydrocarbon chains of the alkanethiols and organosilane SAMs are oxidized by the plasma.…”

“…In soft lithographic approaches like micromolding in capillaries (MIMIC) and microtransfer molding (µTM), oxygen plasma is used to increase the surface energy of the PDMS surface to improve the wetting and/or promote the flow of sol-gel precursor solutions in PDMS channels [28,29]. Exposure of plastic surfaces such as PET, PC, and poly-methyl-methacrylate (PMMA) to oxygen plasmas creates surface -CO and -COOH groups which are responsible for the increased hydropilicity of the exposed surface [11,12].…”