Microcontact Printing Copyright © 2012 Board of Trustees, University of Illinois. All rights reserved.
Objective You will: become familiar with techniques used in nanotechnology. design and make a stamp for patterning a silver surface. pattern a silver surface by stamping a single layer of molecules onto it. test the properties of the patterned silver surface.
Motivation Printing large area electronic devices--such as wide-screen televisions. Printing these electronic devices on flexible materials like plastic. Microcontact printing can pattern large area electronic devices on flexible materials at a low cost.
Nanotechnology Applications Printed Circuits Biosensors Flexible Electronics Electronic Paper
Definition Microcontact printing: Micro contact printing: 1 mm 1 µm Microcontact printing: Micro contact printing: transfers ink in a very small pattern from a rubber stamp onto another surface. is a prefix that means one millionth. says that two objects are touching. takes place when a material like ink is transferred by the contact.
Microcontact Printing Process master mold PDMS polymerize, release stamp ink solution ink inker pad print silver substrate SAM release etch
Making a Stamp Master Image Transparency Mold Molded PDMS
Patterning a Silver Surface Molded PDMS Stamp Protective “Ink” Layer Thin Silver Surface
Protective “Ink” Layer Hexadecane PDMS Stamp Protected Regions Silver Etchant 1-hexadecanethiol Silver Surface Sulfur (thiol)
Soft Lithography Ultraviolet Light Ultraviolet Light Transparency Master Transparency Master Spin Coat Photoresist Spin Coat Photoresist Silicon Wafer Silicon Wafer Etch Silicon Developer: Remove unexposed photoresist Cure PDMS Developer: Remove unexposed photoresist Stamp Ink Etch Finished Product Inker Pad Silicon Wafer (or other substrate) Finished Product
Soft Lithography Ultraviolet Light Transparency Master Spin Coat Photoresist Silicon Wafer Etch Silicon Developer: Remove unexposed photoresist Stamp Ink Etch Finished Product Finished Product Silicon Wafer (or other substrate)
Microcontact Printing Press
Today’s Activity 1. Ink Stamp 2. Stamp silver 3. Etch silver 4. Observe pattern 5. Silver glass