Self-Aligned Polymer Film Patterning on Microstructured Silicon Surfaces

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Christopher Schutzeichel - , Chair of Organic Chemistry of Polymers, Leibniz Institute of Polymer Research Dresden, TUD Dresden University of Technology (Author)
  • Nataliya Kiriy - , Leibniz Institute of Polymer Research Dresden (Author)
  • Anton Kiriy - , Leibniz Institute of Polymer Research Dresden (Author)
  • Brigitte Voit - , Chair of Organic Chemistry of Polymers, Leibniz Institute of Polymer Research Dresden, TUD Dresden University of Technology (Author)

Abstract

Based on a recently developed selective etching process for silicon samples with buried implants, this work presents a method for utilizing the generated material contrast between silicon and silicon oxide to selectively deposit polymers on the patterned surface. Besides depositing polystyrene selectively on the etched parts via drop-casting and dewetting, polymer chains are selectively grafted to the oxidic surface parts. To this end, the oxide surfaces are selectively modified via functional alkoxysilanes, whereas etched silicon surfaces are unreactive. Using either a two-step or a straight-forward one-step process employing commercially available chemicals, atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) initiator functions are attached selectively to the non-etched surface areas, and subsequently used to polymerize either methyl methacrylate (MMA) or N-isopropyl acrylamide (NIPAM) in a controlled surface-initiated activator regenerated by electron transfer (ARGET)-ATRP process. This procedure allows for the further self-aligned functionalization of the micropatterned samples, enabling the production of highly functional, patterned surfaces, potentially suitable for applications in areas such as cell adsorption, microfluidics, or functional microsystems, e.g., MEMS.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Article number2200228
Number of pages7
JournalMacromolecular chemistry and physics : MCP
Volume223
Issue number23
Early online dateSept 2022
Publication statusPublished - Dec 2022
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

Scopus 85138231225
ORCID /0000-0002-4531-691X/work/148608035

Keywords

Keywords

  • Controlled polymerization, Patterning, Self-replication, Surface modification