University of Connecticut |
Biologically-Derived Microlens Arrays and Other Applications of Perfluoronated Polyethers Wednesday, October 31, 2007 4:00 PM , Chemistry Room 203 Biologically-Derived Microlens Arrays and Other Applications of Perfluoronated Polyethers Edward T. Samulski Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599-3290 An insect compound eye has a wide field of view due to its non-planar arrangement of angularly-selective, ommatidial lenses. Synthetic, micron-size, individually-addressed microlens arrays are desirable for a variety of optical signal enhancement applications. However facile fabrication of non-planar arrays of optical components via a seamless integration of shape and composition is not readily accessible using conventional photolithography. Herein, we report a replication route to non-planar three-dimensional microlens arrays via a soft lithographic technique developed for PRINT, Particle Replication in Non-wetting Templates [1]. The non-wetting perfluoronated polyether (PFPE) used in this process is a unique elastic fluoropolymeric material that: 1) replicates the hemispherical global eye shape of insects; 2) reproduces each of the individual convex lenses; and 3) delineates each lenss sub-250 nm surface features. The general applicability of the PFPE replication PRINT methodology in applications ranging from textured photovoltaic electrodes to drug delivery will be covered. The lecture will prefaced by an account of my Jefferson Science Fellowship year as a senior science adviser in the U.S. Department of State [2]. 1. Rolland et al. J. Am. Chem. Soc., 127 (28), 10096 -10100 (2005). 2. http://www7.nationalacademies.org/jefferson/2005_Jefferson_Science_Fellows.html
This seminar series is sponsored by a generous grant by U.S. Surgical Corporation |