Cost-effective fabrication of submicron-scale patterns enabled by microcontact printing with a pre-strained soft elastomeric stamp.

ABSTRACT: While photolithography and e-beam lithography remain the predominant techniques for nanoscale patterning, their high costs and inherent complexity have limited their accessibility for certain applications. Recently, shrink lithography has emerged as a promising technique for reducing pattern dimensions through substrate contraction, offering a simpler and cost-effective alternative to existing methods. In this study, we propose a method combining microcontact printing with a pre-stretched soft elastomeric stamp to achieve scalable pattern reduction. We introduce the pre-stretching and releasing of the Ecoflex-based soft elastomeric stamp in microcontact printing processes, leveraging its excellent stretchability and elasticity. This approach allows for the reduction of the original pattern

SUBMITTER: Jo E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11791514 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature