Surface micropatterning and lithography with poly(ferrocenylmethylphenylsilane)

The use of poly(ferrocenylmethylphenylsilane) (PFMPS) is discussed as etch resist in soft molding applications for large-area pattern transfer into silicon. The presence of Fe and Si in the main chain of this polymer is responsible for the high etch resistivity toward oxygen and CF4 plasmas. PFMPS patterns consisting of lines, stripes, and circles were fabricated on Si by capillary force lithography and by solvent-assisted dewetting. Pattern formation during capillary force lithography was rationalized by wedge wetting models. Negative resist patterns were transferred into the Si substrates by reactive ion etching. The influence of film thickness of PFMPS resists prior to molding on the features transferred into Si was studied as a function of transfer (etching) conditions.