Production of Micro and Nano Scale Features on Polymer Surfaces with SPM Based Lithography and Ultra Short Pulsed Lasers

Scanning Probe Microscopes (SPM) have been primarily used to date for imaging and microscopy. SPMs also offer the powerful capability of nanolithography, nano-machining or scratching and nano-robotics. These techniques combined with ultra-short pulsed laser ablation offer a unique capability for the production of micro and nano scale surface features for applications in tribology and biosciences. The work presented in this paper is concerned with the surface modification of various polymers. The nano-scratching process is capable of producing a variety of arbitrary shapes such as lines and curves as well as more complex grids and spirals. The aim of the research is to determine the maximum and minimum feature sizes possible on these materials by both SPM and laser methods and the effect this has on surface properties such as hydrophobicity. Using a SPM, features in the order of 5 to 50 nanometers in height, have been achieved over an area of 10 to 85 microns on several different polymer samples.Scanning Probe Microscopes (SPM) have been primarily used to date for imaging and microscopy. SPMs also offer the powerful capability of nanolithography, nano-machining or scratching and nano-robotics. These techniques combined with ultra-short pulsed laser ablation offer a unique capability for the production of micro and nano scale surface features for applications in tribology and biosciences. The work presented in this paper is concerned with the surface modification of various polymers. The nano-scratching process is capable of producing a variety of arbitrary shapes such as lines and curves as well as more complex grids and spirals. The aim of the research is to determine the maximum and minimum feature sizes possible on these materials by both SPM and laser methods and the effect this has on surface properties such as hydrophobicity. Using a SPM, features in the order of 5 to 50 nanometers in height, have been achieved over an area of 10 to 85 microns on several different polymer samples.