Abstract-Parallel Near-field Photolithography with Metal-coated Elastomeric Masks.

Huo F.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25549246

Developing a cost-effective nanolithography strategy that enables the production of sub-wavelength features with various shapes over large areas is a long-standing goal in nanotechnology community. Herein, an inexpensive nanolithographic technique, which combines the wafer-scale production capability of photolithography with sub-wavelength feature size controllability of near-field photolithography, was developed to fabricate centimetre-scale up to wafer-scale sub-100 nm various-shaped nanopatterns on surfaces. The wafer-scale elastomeric trench based photomasks with sub-wavelength apertures created at the apexes were compatible with mask aligners, allowing for producing wafer-scale sub-wavelength nanopatterns with adjustable feature sizes, shapes and periodicities. The smallest feature sizes of 50 nm and 80 nm were achieved on positive tone and negative tone photoresist surfaces respectively, which could be ascribed to near-field optical effect. The fabricated centimetre-scale nanopatterns were functionalized to study cell-matrix adhesion and migration. Compared with current developed nanolithographic methods that approach similar functionalities, this facile nanolithographic strategy combines the merits of low cost, sub-wavelength feature size, high throughput and varied feature shapes, making it an affordable approach to be used in academic researches for the researchers in most institutions.