Area-selective photoimmobilization of a two-dimensional array of colloidal spheres on a photodeformed template formed in photoresponsive azopolymer film

Abstract

We demonstrate that colloidal spheres can be arrayed on an azobenzene-containing polymer film, which has been patterned such that it forms a template, and that in a subsequent step, the spheres can be selectively photoimmobilized on the film. The steps were made possible by utilizing two photoresponsive properties of the polymer. The first is photoinduced surface deformation, which provides a patterned indented template. The spheres were organized on the surface in accordance with the template structure. The second is photoinduced immobilization, where small objects on the film are immobilized after irradiation. The area-selective immobilized patterns were obtained after washing.