One-step photoembossing for submicrometer surface relief structures in liquid crystal semiconductors.
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.
Liedtke
Alicia
A
Department of Physics, University of Hull, Cottingham Road, Hull, HU6 7RX, UK.
Lei
Chunhong
C
O'Neill
Mary
M
Dyer
Peter E
PE
Kitney
Stuart P
SP
Kelly
Stephen M
SM
D003460:Crystallization / Q000379:methods*; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D050866:Liquid Crystals / Q000737:chemistry*; D046911:Macromolecular Substances / Q000737:chemistry; D008422:Materials Testing; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000295:instrumentation*; D010316:Particle Size; D010781:Photography / Q000379:methods*; D012666:Semiconductors; D013499:Surface Properties
D046911:Macromolecular Substances