Micro-fabrication and characterization methods for dimensionally-controlled polymeric materils

The authors have proposed herein a novel micro-fabrication method of polymer ultrathin films with a combination of the fluoroalkylsilane monolayer patterned substrates and ink-jet (IJ) method. The purpose of this study is to establish the fundamental technique of site-selective formation of polymer thin film utilizing wetting contrast of patterned fluoroalkylsilane monolayer (R _f)/silanol (Si-OH) surface. R_f/Si-OH patterned surface prepared by the VUV-rays lithography have lyophobic R_f and lyophilic Si-OH phases, respectively. Polystyrene/xylene solution was coated on the patterned surface with wetting contrast by the ink-jet method. The patterned polystyrene ultrathin films were selectively formed on lyophilic areas. Thses patterned monolayer and polymer ultrathin films were characterized by novel characterization techniques such as temperature dependent lateral force microscopy, FE-SEM, Enviromental-SEM, and imaging XPS.