Unconventional patterning with a modulus-tunable mold: From imprinting to microcontact printing

Modulus-tunable ultraviolet (UV) curing molds allow not only physical patterning of imprinting but also chemical patterning of microcontact printing. The mechanical properties of the mold can be tailored by the chain length of an acrylate modulator in the cross-linking reaction. This tunability can be utilized to obtain a proper balance that is needed for a given patterning technique between the rigidity requirement (tensile modulus = 320 MPa) of a mold for patterning a fine structure and the flexibility requirement (tensile modulus = 19.8 MPa) for a conformal contact. Successful low-pressure imprinting of sub-100-nm patterns and microcontact printing of submicrometer patterns verify the suitability of the mold for a wide spectrum of patterning techniques.