Perfluoropolyethers as novel materials for soft lithography

Abstract

Photocurable, liquid perfluoropolyethers (PFPEs) are ideal materials for high resolution (<100 nm) pattern transfer and imprint lithographic processes. PFPEs possess attributes of both elastomers and rigid materials, exhibit a remarkably low surface energy, mold extremely small features with high fidelity (minimal shrinkage), resist swelling by most organics, endure repetitive molding procedures, and out-perform routinely-used polydimethylsiloxane when replicating sub-micron sized features. We report nanoscale replicas of substrates, and the use of these replicas as molds, having features as small as 70 nm with no apparent loss of resolution.