One-step photoembossing for submicrometer surface relief structures in liquid crystal semiconductors

O'Neill, Mary; Liedtke, Alicia; Lei, Chunhong; O’Neill, Mary; Dyer, Peter E.; Kitney, Stuart P.; Kelly, Stephen M.

Abstract

We report a new single-step method to directly imprint nanometer-scale structures on photoreactive organic semiconductors. A surface relief grating is spontaneously formed when a light-emitting, liquid crystalline, and semiconducting thin film is irradiated by patterned light generated using a phase mask. Grating formation requires no postannealing nor wet etching so there is potential for high-throughput fabrication. The structured film is cross-linked for robustness. Gratings deeper than the original film thickness are made with periods as small as 265 nm. Grating formation is attributed to mass transfer, enhanced by self-assembly, from dark to illuminated regions. A photovoltaic device incorporating the grating is discussed.

Citation

Liedtke, A., Lei, C., O’Neill, M., Dyer, P. E., Kitney, S. P., & Kelly, S. M. (2010). One-step photoembossing for submicrometer surface relief structures in liquid crystal semiconductors. ACS Nano, 4(6), 3248-3253. https://doi.org/10.1021/nn100012g

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Feb 1, 2010
• Online Publication Date: May 10, 2010
• Publication Date: Jun 22, 2010
• Deposit Date: Nov 13, 2014
• Journal: Acs Nano
• Print ISSN: 1936-0851
• Publisher: American Chemical Society
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 4
• Issue: 6
• Pages: 3248-3253
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/nn100012g
• Keywords: Liquid crystals; Molecular electronics; Nanoimprinting; Organic photovoltaics; Photolithography; Photonics; Self-assembly
• Public URL: https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/462808
• Publisher URL: https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/nn100012g#