title: Patterning titania with the conventional and modified micromolding in capillaries technique from sol-gel and dispersion solutions.
abstract: We report TiO2patterns obtained by a soft-lithographic technique called 'micromolding in capillaries' using sol-gel and dispersion solutions. A comparison between patterning with a sol-gel and dispersion solutions has been performed. The patterns obtained from sol-gel solutions showed good adhesion to the substrate and uniform shapes, but large shrinkage, whereas those obtained from dispersion solution had high solid content, but exhibited poor adhesion and non-uniform shapes. A fabrication method of a layer-by-layer structured pattern is also demonstrated. This type of pattern may find application in sensors, waveguides and other photonics elements. The occurrence of an undesirable residue layer, which hinders the fabrication of isolated patterns, is highlighted and a method of prevention is suggested.
authors.affiliation: MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Twente, PO Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands; Faculty of Materials Science and Engineering, Institute of Space Technology, PO Box 2750, Islamabad, 44000, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Sajid Ullah
authors.initials: SU
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.affiliation: MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Twente, PO Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Johan E Ten
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Elshof
keywords: Micromolding in capillaries; Molding; Patterning; Soft lithography; TiO2