Nanostructuring of honeycomb-like polystyrene with excimer laser

Abstract

This paper is aimed on the construction of honeycomb like patterns (HCP) with defined dimensions of pores on activated solid-state substrate. Dip coating technique with improved phase separation was used for pattern preparation, subsequent nanostructuring was realized with an excimer laser. Polystyrene patterns were prepared on perfluorethylenepropylene, which were subsequently treated with laser wavelength 248 nm. The main goal was to prepare honeycomb like pattern and by interaction of such microstructure with an excimer laser to prepare superposed structure. This idea was fully fulfilled, uniform micropattern on perfluorinated polymer was prepared, with several laser fluences and number of pulses to be tested subsequently. Optimal conditions of KrF exposure were determined to be 6000 pulses and interval of laser treatment from 8 to 16 mJ.cm−2, by this combination of input parameters a superposed globular nanostructure was constructed on honeycomb-like polystyrene microstructure. Surface wettability, morphology and chemistry of nanopatterned microstructures were changed significantly, oxygen concentration of treated substrates was significantly increased. Particular stages of globular pattern formation were studied and described in detail by atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, EDS/EDX and XPS analysis. Elemental mapping was applied for detailed analysis of prepared superposed pattern.