Patterning a two-dimensional colloidal crystal by water-mediated particle transfer printing

Abstract

We report a new particle transfer printing (pTP) method that uses a water-mediated transfer process. Water-mediated pTP is based on the direct transfer of a two-dimensional (2-D) colloidal crystal film from a poly(dimethylsiloxane) stamp to a substrate via water-mediated surface bonding between the stamp and the substrate. In water-mediated pTP, the water layer serves as an adhesion layer to provide good conformal contact and form strong-covalent bonding between the silica colloidal particle and the Si substrate. The transferred 2-D colloidal crystal patterns are chemically bound to the substrate surface and, thus, exhibit strong adhesion.