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Professor David Adams has developed a simple and general method, called edge transfer lithography (ETL) for high spatial resolution (< 100 nm) large-area patterning of molecular nanostructures, inorganic nanoparticle materials, and self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) on surfaces. The method utilizes intermolecular interactions to selectively "ink" micropatterned elastomeric stamps within the recesses of the stamp by a process of discontinuous dewetting. Transfer of the "ink" to a surface occurs only along the edges of the stamp? features. In effect, the edges behave as one-dimensional transfer curves for the molecular or nanoparticle "ink" allowing for nanometer resolution patterns to be created with micron featured stamps. Stamps are easily and routinely fabricated using conventional photolithography. Adams believes that ETL will be of general interest to a large spectrum of the scientific community, including those involved in nanotechnology, and the biological and surface sciences. ETL and future evolutionary improvements of this method are expected to have a significant impact in the field of molecular surface patterning, similar to that of dip-pen nanolithography (DPN) and microcontact printing (microCp). Importantly, the technique is competitive with DPN giving line widths as small as 60 nm and is an inherently parallel method allowing for large-area patterning. The figures show patterning of (above left) CdSe nanoparticles and (above right) TiO2 using ETL. Posted February 13, 2002. For more details contact David Adams.
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