title: Mechanically tunable three-dimensional elastomeric network/air structures via interference lithography.
abstract: We show how to employ an interference lithographic template (ILT) as a facile mold for fabricating three-dimensional bicontinuous PDMS (poly(dimethylsiloxane)) elastomeric structures and demonstrate the use of such a structure as a mechanically tunable PDMS/air phononic crystal. A positive photoresist was used to make the ILT, and after infiltration with PDMS, the resist was removed in a water-based basic solution which avoided PDMS swelling or pattern collapse occurring during the ILT removal process. Since the period of the structure is approximately 1 microm, the density of states of gigahertz phonons are altered by the phononic PDMS/air crystal. Brillouin light scattering (BLS) was employed to measure phononic modes of the structure as a function of mechanical strain. The results demonstrate that the phononic band diagram of such structures can be tuned mechanically.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Soldier Nanotechnologies, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA.
authors.forename: Ji-Hyun
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Jang
authors.forename: Chaitanya K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Ullal
authors.forename: Taras
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gorishnyy
authors.forename: Vladimir V
authors.initials: VV
authors.lastname: Tsukruk
authors.forename: Edwin L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Thomas
mesh_terms: D000388:Air; D003460:Crystallization / Q000379:methods*; D004129:Dimethylpolysiloxanes / Q000737:chemistry*; D004548:Elasticity; D020724:Elastomers / Q000737:chemistry; D008027:Light; D008422:Materials Testing; D019563:Mechanics; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000379:methods*; D010316:Particle Size; D010777:Photochemistry / Q000379:methods*; D010781:Photography / Q000379:methods*; D012542:Scattering, Radiation; D012828:Silicones / Q000737:chemistry*; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D013499:Surface Properties
chemical_list: D004129:Dimethylpolysiloxanes; D020724:Elastomers; D012828:Silicones; C013830:baysilon