Colloid monolayers as versatile lithographic masks

Hexagonally closed packed monolayers of colloids have found more and more applications, e.g. as lithographic masks. The monolayers are usually produced with the help of a self-organizing process where a suspension of colloids is applied to the desired substrate and left to dry. This method requires a good wettability and smoothness of the substrate, which severely limits the number of possible substrates. We present a new method for the application of colloid monolayers to almost any surface where these difficulties are circumvented. At first the monolayers are fabricated on glass substrates and afterwards floated off on a water surface. From there, they are transferred to the desired substrate. Examples where transferred monolayers were used as lithographic masks are shown on glass, indium tin oxide, and tungsten diselenide. The transfer of a colloid monolayer to a copper grid for transmission electron microscopy demonstrates the applicability of the technique to curved surfaces as well.