Abstract
The never-ending race towards miniaturization of devices induced an intense research in the manufacturing processes of the components of those devices. However, the complexity of the process combined with high equipment costs makes the conventional lithographic techniques unfavorable for many researchers. Through years, nanosphere lithography (NSL) attracted growing interest due to its compatibility with wafer-scale processes as well as its potential to manufacture a wide variety of homogeneous one-, two-, or three-dimensional nanostructures. This method combines the advantages of both top-down and bottom-up approaches and is based on a two-step process: (1) the preparation of a colloidal crystal mask (CCM) made of nanospheres and (2) the deposition of the desired material through the mask. The mask is then removed and the layer keeps the ordered patterning of the mask interstices. Many groups have been working to improve the quality of the CCMs. Throughout this review, we compare the major deposition techniques to manufacture the CCMs (focusing on 2D polystyrene nanospheres lattices), with respect to their advantages and drawbacks. In traditional NSL, the pattern is usually limited to triangular structures. However, new strategies have been developed to build up more complex architectures and will also be discussed.
Highlights
More than 50 years have passed since the famous lecture “There’s plenty of room at the bottom” by Feynman [1]
The complexity of the preparation process combined with high initial equipment costs made the conventional lithographic techniques unfavorable for many researchers
Most of the nonconventional lithographic techniques developed to date require the assistance of conventional lithographic techniques, such as photolithography, to design and manufacture the masks or masters
Summary
More than 50 years have passed since the famous lecture “There’s plenty of room at the bottom” by Feynman [1]. The concept of soft lithography was introduced in 1988 by Whiteside’s group at Harvard [11] It refers to a set of methods [4, 12, 13] (microcontact printing, replica molding, microtransfer molding, etc.) for generating or replicating structures by using a patterned elastomer (e.g., polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)) as a mask, stamp, or mold. Manipulations of atoms or particles by scanning probe lithography techniques will be rather classified in the bottom-up approach These tools seem well suited for applications in research but will require substantial development (simultaneous writing patterns with multiple probes [18]) before they can be used for patterning large areas in manufacturing. Leads to exciting new hybrid methods including nanosphere lithography towards which our choice was directed
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