Patterning of Copper using Microcontact Pinting of SAMs

摘要

This paper demonstrates that micropatterns of copper films can be fabricated by selective electrochemical etching of copper using microcontact printing of self-assembled monolayers(SAMs). The elastomeric stamps which have microstructures on its surface is made out of polydimethylsiloxane(PDMS) and then is inked with a solution of an alkanethiol in ethanol. Self-assembled monolayers of alkanethiol are patterned on the copper films by contacting stamps with the substrates. The patterned substrates are etched electrochemically in an electrolyte. Self-assembled monolayers of alkanethiol act as an electrochemical barrier leading to selective etching of copper films. Microstructures of copper with dimensions as small as 1.5μm have been produced using this procedure. This method shows the capability of fabricating simple structures on a scale comparable to UV photolithography.