Submicron 3D imaging of liquid–vapor interfaces formed in the Cassie–Baxter state

Abstract

In this work, we present a method to microscopically investigate the liquid–vapor interfaces on the bottom side of droplets, which were placed on superhydrophobic structures, so that wetting in the Cassie–Baxter (CB) state occurred. These interfaces are hard to access optically, especially when an opaque substrate material is used, which is usually the case for technical applications. In that case, the menisci have to be observed through the droplet, which substantially deteriorates the imaging quality. Other methods that circumvent these distortions, such as optical coherence tomography, are restricted to a resolution of several micrometers. Confocal or fluorescence microscopy additionally requires a transparent substrate. To measure the liquid–vapor interfaces formed in the Cassie–Baxter state with high accuracy liquid droplets of a monomer solution that chemically reacts to form the elastomer, polydimethylsiloxane was placed on structured surfaces. Because double reentrant structures were used, wetting occurred in the Cassie–Baxter state despite the low surface tension of the monomer solution. After curing, it was possible to remove the solid droplets from the surface and investigate them using confocal microscopy, which provides an excellent height resolution of 10 nm. Test structures such as arrays of stripes and holes with variable spacing or diameter were used to investigate the impact of their geometry on the liquid–vapor interfaces formed in the CB state. Although the maximum height of the menisci on the droplet's bottom side is in the region of several 10 μm, the 10 nm resolution is required to adequately compare their topography with simplified theoretical models.