Method of patterning the surface of an article using positive microcontact printing

摘要

There is disclosed a method of patterning an article (10) including a layer (12) of copper formed onto an insulating substrate (11) using a positive microcontact printing (MCP) process. In a preferred embodiment where the metal is copper (Cu) and the substrate is a silicon wafer, the method includes removing the native oxide presents on the Cu in a solution of HCl. Then, a stamp (13′) having a patterned polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) body (14) is linked with a 0.2 mM solution of pentaerythritol-tetrakis(3-mercaptopropionate) (PTMP) in ethanol for 1 min, to form the inking layer (15′). The stamp is applied on the Cu layer to print a first self-assembled monolayer (SAM) (16′) according to a desired pattern. The article is dipped in a solution of ECT which is then adsorbed only in the non printed regions, forming a second SAM (18) in a configuration that is complementary to the desired pattern. Finally, the printed areas of the Cu layer are removed using a peroxodisulfate etch bath.