title: Template-directed self-assembly of 10-microm-sized hexagonal plates.
abstract: This article presents a strategy for the fabrication of ordered microstructures using concepts of design inspired by molecular self-assembly and template-directed synthesis. The self-assembling components are 4-microm-thick hexagonal metal plates having sides 10 microm in length ("hexagons"), and each template consists of a 4-microm-thick circular metal plate surrounding a central cavity, the perimeter of which is complementary in shape to the external edges of a two-dimensional, close-packed array of hexagons. The hexagons and templates (collectively, "pieces") were fabricated via standard procedures and patterned into hydrophobic and hydrophilic regions using self-assembled monolayers (SAMs). Templated self-assembly occurs in water through capillary interactions between thin films of a nonpolar liquid adhesive coating the hydrophobic faces of the pieces. The hexagons tile the cavities enclosed by the templates, and the boundaries of the cavities determine the sizes and shapes of the assemblies. Curing the adhesive with ultraviolet light furnishes mechanically stable arrays having well-defined morphologies. By allowing control over the structures of the resulting aggregates, this work represents a step toward the development of practical methods for microfabrication based on self-assembly.
authors: Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, 12 Oxford Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA.
authors: Thomas D
authors: TD
authors: Clark
authors: Rosaria
authors: R
authors: Ferrigno
authors: Joe
authors: J
authors: Tien
authors: Kateri E
authors: KE
authors: Paul
authors: George M
authors: GM
authors: Whitesides
mesh_terms: D002625:Chemistry, Organic / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D003102:Colloids / Q000737:chemistry*; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D013698:Templates, Genetic
chemical_list: D003102:Colloids; D046911:Macromolecular Substances