Nanoscale surface engineering of PDMS by embedding vertical nanosheets of materials

Abstract

This paper describes an innovative, low cost and time effective nano-engineering process dedicated to macroelectronics and lab-on-a-chip applications. It consists of the fabrication of vertical nanosheets self-standing on a silicon template, and their embedding in polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) by a mechanical release during the peel-off of the cured polymer. We demonstrate for the first time the embedding of a multi-stack composed of Au/SiO 2/Au nanosheets in PDMS and discussed in details the influence of each process parameters on the nanosheet composition and dimension. Since the embedded materials are hydrophilic, the formation of micro droplets was observed by condensation of the water vapor, leading to a self-alignment of those micro droplets onto the functional PDMS surface.