Creation of Curved Nanostructures Using Soft-Materials-Derived Lithography

Nanomaterials (Basel). 2020 Dec 3;10(12):2414. doi: 10.3390/nano10122414.

Abstract

In this study, curved nanostructures, which are difficult to obtain, were created on an Si substrate through the bonding, swelling, and breaking processes of the polymer and silicone substrate. This method can be utilized to obtain convex nanostructures over large areas. The method is simpler than typical semiconductor processing with photolithography or compared to wet- or vacuum-based dry etching processes. The polymer bonding, swelling (or no swelling), and breaking processes that are performed in this process were theoretically analyzed through a numerical analysis of permeability and modeling. Through this process, we designed a convex nanostructure that can be produced experimentally in an accurate manner.

Keywords: nanopatterning; nanostructure; soft lithography; soft material; swelling.