Precursor strategies for metallic nano- and micropatterns using soft lithography

Abstract

Soft lithographic methods describe a set of printing methods which are widely used for the preparation of structured surfaces. Structured surfaces are essential components in the field of (opto-)electronic devices such as organic light emitting diodes, photovoltaics or organic field effect transistors. In recent years, crucial progress has been achieved in the development of patterned metal coatings for these applications. This review focusses on new strategies for soft lithographical printing of metal structures emphasizing the subtle interplay of printing techniques, metal precursor chemistry, and surface functionalization strategies

Micro‐/Nanostructured Interface for Liquid Manipulation and Its Applications

“…b) Schematic diagram of the several soft lithography techniques, including microcontact printing (µ‐cp), UV or thermal nanoimprint lithography and soft embossing nanoimprint lithography (NIL), solvent‐assisted nanoimprint lithography (SANIL), and micromolding in capillaries (MIMIC). Reproduced with permission . Copyright 2015, Royal Society of Chemistry.…”

“…To sum up, soft lithography requires no sophisticated equipment or expensive materials, providing a convenient and cost‐efficient way for manufacturing of micro‐/nanostructures. Moreover, unlike conventional photolithography, they are compatible with nonplanar surfaces . However, the stamps used in these techniques are fabricated from photolithography, which commonly involves clean‐room facility …”

Fifty Years of Hydrosilylation in Polymer Science: A Review of Current Trends of Low-Cost Transition-Metal and Metal-Free Catalysts, Non-Thermally Triggered Hydrosilylation Reactions, and Industrial Applications

“…PDMS (non-crosslinked or only moderately crosslinked) has the disadvantage of swelling in common organic solvents, rendering the necessity of thermal curing. In addition, due to the hydrophobic surface of PDMS, the use of water-based inks containing compounds such as biomolecules or inorganic complexes is challenging [143].…”

Ultra-Smooth, Fully Solution-Processed Large-Area Transparent Conducting Electrodes for Organic Devices

“…Metal micro- and nano-mesh electrodes have attracted considerable attention recently because the thickness, spacing, and line-widths of metal patterns can be easily modified to obtain desirable optical and electrical properties with the benefit of air-processable conditions. These metal meshes have been fabricated by various methods such as pattern-masked evaporation2021, nanoimprint lithography172223, inkjet24, flexographic25, transfer2627 and gravure-offset printing1228. However, these electrodes also suffer from high surface roughness, resulting in the possibility of electrical short-circuits between the TCEs and the top electrode.…”