Polymer substrates as a medium for motion of nano objects

Svetlana A Prokhorova; Alexey Kopyshev; Ayothi Ramakrishnan; Haining Zhang; Jurgen Ruhe

doi:10.1117/12.498948

29 April 2003 Polymer substrates as a medium for motion of nano objects

Svetlana A Prokhorova, Alexey Kopyshev, Ayothi Ramakrishnan, Haining Zhang, Jurgen Ruhe

Proceedings Volume 5118, Nanotechnology; (2003) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.498948
Event: Microtechnologies for the New Millennium 2003, 2003, Maspalomas, Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, Spain

Abstract

We discuss a novel pathway to move nano objects on or by a supporting polymer substrate. The idea is to use a periodically switchable topography of the underlying polymer surface, induced by two states: structured and flat. The polymer system we focus on are surface attached polymer chains ('polymer brushes') of two types: (i) diblock-copolymer chains densely grafted with one end to the solid substrate and (ii) a mixed brush composed of the mixture of A and B homopolymers, A-B blocks and random A-B chains. Recently, we have shown that both these brushes undergo reversible transitions between lateral and vertical microphase separation. Since the details of the switching process are crucial for understanding transport properties, we report here in-situ AFM observation of the switching process of a poly(methylmethacrylate-b-glycidylmethacrylate) p(MMA-b-GMA) diblock-copolymer brush and PMMA-PGMA mixed brush. The transition is induced by cyclically pumping chloroform and toluene vapours through the liquid cell: they represent a good (chloroform) and a bad solvent (toluene) to the brushes. We then report on results of motion and organization processes of silica particles induced by switching the polymer carpet in vapour and compare the results with the organization process of the same nano objects performed in liquids.

Citation Download Citation

Svetlana A Prokhorova, Alexey Kopyshev, Ayothi Ramakrishnan, Haining Zhang, and Jurgen Ruhe "Polymer substrates as a medium for motion of nano objects", Proc. SPIE 5118, Nanotechnology, (29 April 2003); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.498948

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available