Approaching Rapid, High-Resolution, Large-Area Patterning of Semiconducting Polymers Using Projection Photothermal Lithography

Patterned semiconductors are essential for the fabrication of nearly all electronic devices. Over the last two decades, semiconducting polymers (SPs) have received enormous attention due to their potential for creating low-cost flexible electronic devices, while development of scalable patterning methods capable of producing sub-mu m feature sizes has lagged. A novel method for patterning SPs termed Projection Photothermal Lithography (PPL) is presented. A lab scale PPL microscope is built and it is demonstrated that rapid (approximate to 4 cm(2) h(-1)) and large single exposure area (approximate to 0.69 mm(2)) sub-mu m patterns can be obtained optically. Polymer domains are selectively removed via a photo-induced temperature gradient that enables dissolution. It is hypothesized that commercial-scale patterning with a throughput of approximate to 5 m(2) h(-1) and resolution of <1 mu m could be realized through optimization of optical components.

Automated summary

A novel method called Projection Photothermal Lithography (PPL) is introduced for patterning semiconducting polymers. Experimental results demonstrate that rapid and large area sub-micron patterns can be obtained using this method.