Phase-field numerical study on the dynamic process of thermocapillary patterning

It is well known that surface tension is dependent on temperature, and thus a nonuniform temperature may cause thermocapillary flow which is referred to as the Marangoni effect. For a thin liquid-air film confined between a flat hot plate and a topographical cold template, it undergoes deformation due to thermocapillary flow. This phenomenon is termed as thermocapillary patterning, and has been used to fabricate micro- and nanostructure in polymer films. In most cases, the obtained structure conforms to the template; i.e., it can be considered as a replication technique. In this paper, we developed a two-phase flow numerical model based on the phase field to study the dynamic process of thermocapillary patterning. As a remeshing-free method, the phase field enables the incorporation of thermal field and multiphase flow with free surface deformation. The numerical model was employed to study the dynamic process of thermocapillary patterning. Meanwhile, the effects of some parameters, e.g., temperature, geometry parameters, and contact angle, were also investigated.

Pattern formation in thin polymeric films via electrohydrodynamic patterning

The free surface of a thin polymeric film is often unstable and deforms into various micro-/nano-patterns under an externally applied electric field. This paper reviews a recent patterning technique, electrohydrodynamic patterning (EHDP), a straightforward, cost-effective and contactless bottom-up method. The theoretical and numerical studies of EHDP are shown. How the characteristic wavelength and the characteristic time depend on both the external conditions (such as voltage, film thickness, template-substrate spacing) and the initial polymer properties (such as rheological property, electrical property and surface tension) is theoretically and experimentally discussed. Various possible strategies for fabricating high-aspect-ratio or hierarchical patterns are theoretically and experimentally reviewed. Aligning and ordering of the anisotropic polymers by EHDP is emphasized. A perspective, including novelty and limitations of the methods, particularly in comparison to some conventional patterning techniques, and a possible future direction of research, is presented.

Parametric scheme for rapid nanopattern replication via electrohydrodynamic instability

Electrohydrodynamic (EHD) instability patterning exhibits substantial potential for application as a next-generation lithographic technique; nevertheless, its development continues to be hindered by the lack of process parameter controllability, especially when replicating sub-microscale pattern features. In this paper, a new parametric guide is introduced. It features an expanded range of valid parameters by increasing the pattern growth velocity, thereby facilitating reproducible EHD-driven patterning for perfect nanopattern replication. Compared with conventional EHD-driven patterning, the rapid patterning approach not only shortens the patterning time but also exhibits enhanced scalability for replicating small and geometrically diverse features. Numerical analyses and simulations are performed to elucidate the interplay between the pattern growth velocity, fidelity of the replicated features, and boundary between the domains of suitable and unsuitable parametric conditions in EHD-driven patterning. The developed rapid route facilitates nanopattern replication using EHD instability with a wide range of suitable parameters and further opens up many opportunities for device applications using tailor-made nanostructures in an effective and straightforward manner.

1/τ_m-dependent electrohydrodynamic replication of a hexagonally ordered hole array nanopattern by adjusting the filling ratio. As the 1/τ_m increases, the morphology evolves into the perfectly replicated hole features with increasing filling ratio.

Pattern-Directed Ordering of Spin-Dewetted Liquid Crystal Micro- or Nanodroplets as Pixelated Light Reflectors and Locomotives

Chemical pattern directed spin-dewetting of a macroscopic droplet composed of a dilute organic solution of liquid crystal (LC) formed an ordered array of micro- and nanoscale LC droplets. Controlled evaporation of the spin-dewetted droplets through vacuum drying could further miniaturize the size to the level of ∼90 nm. The size, periodicity, and spacing of these mesoscale droplets could be tuned with the variations in the initial loading of LC in the organic solution, the strength of the centripetal force on the droplet, and the duration of the evaporation. A simple theoretical model was developed to predict the spacing between the spin-dewetted droplets. The patterned LC droplets showed a reversible phase transition from nematic to isotropic and vice versa with the periodic exposure of a solvent vapor and its removal. A similar phase transition behavior was also observed with the periodic increase or reduction of temperature, suggesting their usefulness as vapor or temperature sensors. Interestingly, when the spin-dewetted droplets were confined between a pair of electrodes and an external electric field was applied, the droplets situated at the hydrophobic patches showed light-reflecting properties under the polarization microscopy highlighting their importance in the development of micro- or nanoscale LC displays. The digitized LC droplets, which were stationary otherwise, showed dielectrophoretic locomotion under the guidance of the external electric field beyond a threshold intensity of the field. Remarkably, the motion of these droplets could be restricted to the hydrophilic zones, which were confined between the hydrophobic patches of the chemically patterned surface. The findings could significantly contribute in the development of futuristic vapor or temperature sensors, light reflectors, and self-propellers using the micro- or nanoscale digitized LC droplets.

Deformation Hysteresis of Electrohydrodynamic Patterning on a Thin Polymer Film

Electrohydrodynamic patterning is a technique that enables micro/nanostructures via imposing an external voltage on thin polymer films. In this investigation, we studied the electrohydrodynamic patterning theoretically and experimentally, with special interest focused on the equilibrium state. It is found that the equilibrium structure height increases with the voltage. In addition, we have observed, and believe it to be the first time, a hysteresis phenomenon exists in the relationship between the voltage and structure height. With an increase in the voltage, a critical value (the first critical voltage) is noticed, above which the polymer film would increase dramatically until it comes into contact with the template. However, with a decrease in the voltage, a smaller voltage (the second critical voltage) is needed to detach the polymer from the template. The mismatch of the first and second critical voltages distorts the voltage-structure height curve into an "S" shape. Such a phenomenon is verified for three representative templates and also by experiments. Furthermore, the effects of some parameters (e.g., polymer film thickness and dielectric constant) on this hysteresis phenomenon are also discussed.

Role of space charges inside a dielectric polymer in the electrohydrodynamic structure formation on a prepatterned polymer (ESF-PP)

Mushroom-shaped structures with a high aspect ratio are fabricated based on the action of space charges inside the dielectric polymer.

Electrical perturbations of ultrathin bilayers: role of ionic conductive layer

The effect of electrostatic force on the dynamics, morphological evolution, and drainage time of ultrathin liquid bilayers (<100 nm) are investigated for perfect dielectric-perfect dielectric (PD-PD) and ionic liquid-perfect dielectric (IL-PD) bilayers. The weakly nonlinear "thin film" equation is solved numerically to obtain spatiotemporal evolution of the liquid-liquid interface responses to transverse electric field. In order to predict the electrostatic component of conjoining/disjoining pressure acting on the interface for IL-PD bilayers, an analytical model is developed using the nonlinear Poisson-Boltzmann equation. It is found that IL-PD bilayers with electric permittivity ratio of layers (lower to top), εr, greater than one remain stable under an applied electric field. An extensive numerical study is carried out to generate a map based on εr and the initial mean thickness of the lower layer. This map is used to predict the formation of various structures on PD-PD bilayer interface and provides a baseline for unstable IL-PD bilayers. The use of an ionic liquid (IL) layer is found to reduce the size of the structures, but results in polydispersed and disordered pillars spread over the domain. The numerical predictions follow similar trend of experimental observation of Lau and Russel. (Lau, C. Y.; Russel, W. B. Fundamental Limitations on Ordered Electrohydrodynamic Patterning; Macromolecules 2011, 44, 7746-7751).