Silicon microcontact printing engines

Syms, R.R.A.; Zou, Helin; Choonee, Kaushal; Lawes, Ron A.

doi:10.1088/0960-1317/19/2/025027

Cited by 9 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 56 publications

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“…Self-alignment is achieved by micromachining a Si⟨100⟩ target substrate to form complementary V grooves that mate with V-shaped rails on the stamp. This interlocking mechanism has been demonstrated previously , and is illustrated in Figure . With crystalline Si⟨100⟩, θ is the angle between the (100) and (111) planes and tan (θ) = (2) 1/2 .…”

Section: Concept and Designsupporting

confidence: 67%

“…Bilevel etched Si masters are used to form the patterns and the mechanical features (the suspension and alignment) by replica molding, and Au-coated target substrates with corresponding mechanical features are made by anisotropic etching of crystalline Si. Some of these concepts have been demonstrated on silicon . Currently, printing is carried out by manually deflecting the stamp to make contact, but other more controlled actuation mechanisms such as electrostatic and pneumatic could also be implemented with relative ease.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Multilevel Self-Aligned Microcontact Printing System

Choonee

Syms

2010

Langmuir

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A multilevel microcontact printing (μCP) system that avoids the use of optical alignment and precision manipulation equipment is demonstrated. Most of the complexity is transferred to the poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) stamp itself by forming the features, a mechanical self-alignment mechanism, and an elastic membrane by wafer scale replica molding on a Si master. Flexible 50-μm-thick photoetched stainless steel sheets are bonded to PDMS prior to demolding to improve the mechanical stability. The Si master itself is made using conventional MEMS fabrication tools such as photolithography, reactive ion etching, and anisotropic wet etching. Self-alignment is achieved by introducing protrusions on the stamp that mate onto corresponding grooves on a machined substrate. Complete 10 mm × 10 mm prototypes are fabricated, and six-level μCP is demonstrated with an average layer-to-layer misalignment of 5-10 μm.

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Section: Concept and Designsupporting

confidence: 67%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Multilevel Self-Aligned Microcontact Printing System

Choonee

Syms

2010

Langmuir

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“…An example is presented by Syms et al, who sprayed a mixture of elastomeric precursors onto a micromachined silicon printing stamp, before curing the elastomeric layer in place. 43…”

Section: Multi-layer Stampsmentioning

confidence: 99%

A computational design framework for two-layered elastic stamps in nanoimprint lithography and microcontact printing

Taylor

O’Rorke

2019

Journal of Applied Physics

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Mechanical micro-and nano-patterning processes rely on engineering the interactions between a stamp and a substrate to accommodate surface roughness and particle defects while retaining the geometric integrity of printed features. We introduce a set of algorithms for rapidly simulating the stamp-substrate contact, and we use them to show that advantageous behavior can occur when the stamp consists of a finite-thickness layer bonded to a layer with different elastic properties. The simulations use two-dimensional load-response functions describing in discrete space the response of a stamp surface's shape to a localized unit load. These load-response functions incorporate the contributions both of local, indentation-like displacements and of plate-like bending of finite-thickness stamp layers. The algorithms solve iteratively for contact pressure distributions that, when spatially convolved with the load response, yield deformations consistent with the properties of the stamp and the substrate. We investigate three determinants of stamp performance: conformation to sinusoidal substrate topographies, distortion of material around stamp protrusions, and conformation to isolated spherical dust particles trapped between the stamp and the substrate. All simulation results are encapsulated in dimensionless models that can be applied to the efficient selection of stamp geometries, materials, and loading conditions. A particularly striking finding is that a stamp with a finite-thickness compliant coating bonded to a more rigid support can conform more closely to a trapped particle under a given load than a homogeneous stamp with the properties of the coating. This finding could be used to minimize the impact of particle defects on patterning processes.

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“…Microcontact printing (μCP) enables parallel soft-lithographic patterning of materials ranging from small-molecule inks to nanoparticles. − In its simplest form, an elastomeric stamp with a relief pattern is dosed with ink molecules (inked) and then is placed in conformal contact with a reactive surface. − Molecules, henceforth referred to simply as “ink,” transfer from stamp to substrate and, in the cases of thiol inks on many metals, form self-assembled monolayers (SAMs), imbuing the contact sites with the chemical properties of the molecular assembly. The key advantages of μCP are its flexibility and intrinsic simplicity; the inking method, substrate, and stamp can be tailored to produce the desired results.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Molecular Flux Dependence of Chemical Patterning by Microcontact Printing

Schwartz

Hohman

Morin

et al. 2013

ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces

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We address the importance of the dynamic molecular ink concentration at a polymer stamp/substrate interface during microcontact displacement or insertion printing. We demonstrate that by controlling molecular flux, we can influence both the molecular-scale order and the rate of molecular exchange of self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) on gold surfaces. Surface depletion of molecular ink at a polymer stamp/substrate interface is driven predominantly by diffusion into the stamp interior; depletion occurs briefly at the substrate by SAM formation, but diffusion of molecules into the bulk of the stamp dominates over practical experimental time scales. As contact time is increased, the interface concentration varies significantly due to diffusion, affecting the quality and coverage of printed films. Controlling interfacial concentration improves printed film reproducibility and the fractional coverage of multicomponent films can be controlled to within a few percent. We first briefly review the important aspects of molecular ink diffusion at a stamp interface and how it relates to experimental duration. We then describe two examples that illustrate control over ink transfer during experiments: the role of contact time on monolayer reproducibility and molecular order, and the fine control of fractional monolayer coverage for the displacement printing of 1-adamantanethiolate SAMs by 1-dodecanethiol.

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Silicon microcontact printing engines

Cited by 9 publications

References 56 publications

Multilevel Self-Aligned Microcontact Printing System

Multilevel Self-Aligned Microcontact Printing System

A computational design framework for two-layered elastic stamps in nanoimprint lithography and microcontact printing

Molecular Flux Dependence of Chemical Patterning by Microcontact Printing

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