The direct nano-patterning of ZnO using nanoimprint lithography with ZnO-sol and thermal annealing

Nano-patterned ZnO layer was fabricated by ZnO-sol imprinting with a polymeric mold, followed by annealing. instead of polymer based imprint resin, ZnO-sol was used as an imprint resin. During the imprinting process, the organic solvent in the ZnO-sol was absorbed into a polymeric mold and thus, ZnO-sol was converted to ZnO-gel. These patterns were subsequently annealed at 650 degrees C for 1 h in atmospheric ambient to form ZnO patterns. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and photoluminescence (PL) confirmed that ZnO-gel was completely converted into ZnO by annealing. Using this ZnO-sol imprinting method, ZnO nano-patterns, as small as 50 nm. were fabricated on Si and oxidized Si wafer substrates. The ZnO nano-patterns were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Transmission electron microscopy (TEM). (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.