Route to create large-area ordered polymeric nanochannel arrays

Abstract

Depositing polymdimethylsiloxane ͑PDMS͒ from an isopropanol solution onto a glass slide surface by wiping with a fuzz-free wipe results in highly ordered structures. Dewetting of the highly diluted PDMS solution and evaporation of the solvent yields nanostructures. The structure is well characterized as polymer nanochannels, separated by a mean distance of 166 nm. The mean height of the shallow channels is 3 nm only. The proof of having aligned structures on very large surface areas with a well defined orientation is performed with a very high resolution grazing incidence small angle x-ray scattering setup.

Probing surface and interface morphology with Grazing Incidence Small Angle X-Ray Scattering

“…This stability is attributed to an interaction with the underlying Si substrate. Similarly it has been proposed by Müller-Buschbaum et al [318] to fabricate shallow polymer nanochannels by wiping a highly diluted solution. The polymer is the Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) deposited onto a standard microscopy glass slide surface.…”

In Situ Monitoring of Laser-Induced Periodic Surface Structures Formation on Polymer Films by Grazing Incidence Small-Angle X-ray Scattering

“…Different techniques such as those based on solution flow and evaporation, low energy ion beam erosion and advanced lithography have been proposed in order to produce superficial nanostructures on polymers. [1][2][3][4][5][6][7] A current trend however is looking for alternative processes to lithography aiming to avoid the necessity of demanding experimental conditions, like clean rooms, high vacuum or complex mask fabrication among others. Formation of laser induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS) has been observed on the surface of different materials, such as metals, semiconductors and dielectrics upon irradiation with lasers at different wavelengths from ultraviolet to infrared and with different pulse durations from nanoseconds to femtoseconds.…”

Flow at interfaces: A new device for x-ray surface scattering investigations

“…Therefore, it is important to study the transport, mixing, demixing, separation, filtration, or sorting operations of starting substances and reaction products during liquid flow. For transport and mixing a variety of tools as pumps, 6,7 valves, 6 channels, 8,9 sensors, 10 and mixers [11][12][13] on the micro-or even nanoscale were developed for a variety of substances. Also more complicated operations such as separation, filtration, and sorting objects were performed 14 using tailored complex devices for very special tasks as nanopore filters coated with polymer brushes, 15 reaction vessels with colloidal particles, 16 and magnetic particle matrices for DNA separation.…”