title: Patterning of polymer-supported metal films by microcutting
abstract: The ability to micropattern materials is of great importance for manufacturing advanced electronic, optical and mechanical devices ranging from displays to biosensors. For this purpose a variety of methods have been developed, including X-ray, electron-beam and photo-lithography, microcontact printing, embossing, micromouldings and cold welding. But these techniques are often of restricted applicability, involve a multitude of elaborate and cumbersome processing steps, or require aggressive chemistry. Here we describe a simple and versatile way to create well resolved metallic structures on polymer substrates, which is based on solid-state embossing of metal-coated polymer films. Ductility of both the metal layer and the polymer substrate permits the metal to be cut into surprisingly regular, micrometre-size structures. We illustrate the method by preparing patterned electrically conducting structures, highly efficient infrared polarizers and polarization-dependent colour filters.
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials, ETH Zentrum, Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Stutzmann
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Tervoort
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bastiaansen
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Smith