University of Connecticut |
Polymer Program SeminarChemistry of Nanopatterned Photopolymers Friday, November 19, 2004 11:00 am , IMS Room 20 Imprint lithographic techniques such as nano-contact molding (NCM), and “step & flash” show great promise in the ability to transfer nanoscale patterns in an efficient, economic fashion. The last several years has seen a steep increase in interest in alternative patterning techniques and materials as scientists and engineers have realized that limitations in conventional photolithography seriously limit and jeopardize future advances in nanotechnology. In NCM lithography we have found that polymer networks composed of a mixture of photopolymerizable monomers (acrylates and methacrylates) can be molded and photocured into thin, nanometer sized patterns on a variety of substrates. The exploitation of these nanoscopically printed materials as sacrificial resist layers is obvious but does not take advantage of the chemistry presented at the surface of the patterned polymer. We have been exploring the development of functionality into imprinted polymers and the subsequent chemical modification of this embedded functionality. We add functional comonomers to our photopolymer resin and after molding a fraction of this incorporated functionality is present at the surface of the polymer and available for subsequent reactions. In this talk, I will review recent advances in NCM and demonstrate the power of imbedded functionality to give unique solutions to challenges in nanotechnology.
This seminar series is sponsored by a generous grant from U.S. Surgical Corporation. |