Soft colloidal lithography by strong physical contact using swollen magnetic microspheres and magnetic force

Herein we report on pattern formation of a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) using soft colloidal lithography, based on strong physical contact between microspheres and substrate. In typical colloidal lithography, weak contact of microspheres with the substrate does not block the formation of a SAM. To establish conformal contact between microspheres and substrate to block the formation of a SAM, magnetic force was exerted on softened paramagnetic microspheres that had been swollen by a solvent. The soft colloidal lithography with controlled buoyance enables pattern formation through simple wet chemistry.

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► Strong physical contact between swollen, magnetic microsphere and substrate under magnetic field allows conformal contact.
► Self-assembled Microsphere blocks the formation of a self-assembled monolayer producing hexagonally arrayed pattern.
► Obtained self-assembled monolayer pattern behave as an electrochemical nanoelectrode array.