New calix[4]arene derivatives as maskless and development-free laser thermal lithography materials for fabricating micro/nano-patterns

Abstract

The past 40 years have witnessed the rapid development of lithography technologies. New technologies in the field spring up every day. A technology with simple process steps, low cost and high output is always the dream target of the industry community. In this paper, a maskless and development-free lithography method is proposed based on two new calix[4]arene derivatives as the resists. By this method, micro/nano-pattern structures can be fabricated by means of a simple process, with short time and at relatively low cost. To achieve such a goal, the resist materials must meet certain requirements, and few papers in the literature have dealt with the method because a general resist cannot meet all the requirements. Two calix[4]arene derivatives with designed and optimized molecular structures are chosen as the resists to meet the requirements, and they exhibit different performances because of their different molecular structures. Concave and convex pattern structures are obtained using the two calix[4]arene derivative films i.e. TCHC and THMC films, by direct laser writing lithography. The concave pattern structures are formed on the TCHC films through directly vaporizing the TCHC films based on laser induced thermal effects, whereas the convex pattern structures are formed on the THMC films due to the enhancement of plasticity.