Fabrication of silicone microcups on periodic microswelling structure of silicone rubber by 193-nm ArF excimer laser

Abstract A new morphology for micro/nanocontainer, silicone hemispherical microcup on periodic microswelling structure of silicone rubber, was successfully fabricated by a 193-nm ArF excimer laser. The laser-irradiated silicone rubber underneath silica glass microspheres were periodically and photochemically swelled by the photodissociation of Si-O-Si bonds of silicone rubber. A little later, lower molecular weight silicones which were generated by the photodissociation might be ejected from the microswelled silicone rubber during laser irradiation along a curvature of each the microsphere. After removing the microspheres, chemical bonding state of the fabricated microcups was analyzed to be a silicone. Small amount of liquid could be trapped in the microcups under scanning electron microscope. A superhydrophobic property was also obtained on the fabricated silicone microcups.