Microcontact printing: new mastering and transfer techniques for high throughput, resolution and depth of focus

We describe techniques for high resolution, high throughput, high depth of focus microcontact printing. Printhead masters are fabricated by focused ion beam (FIB) micro-machining. We describe the instrumental limitations of these techniques, and show how high-resolution features (< 100 nm) may be maintained over high depths of focus (> 100 mum). We also demonstrate scaling of feature writing rates to > 10(4)/s through topographic mastering in PMMA. Microcontact printing resolution is assessed for different elastomer mold materials, and it is shown how rigid polymer composites allow pattern transfer of features finer than 100 run, such that the current limit in pattern transfer resolution is defined by the grain size in the target Ag film. Finally, we describe an all-polymer microcontact printing process employing elastomer molding from topographically patterned PMMA printheads. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All lights reserved.