Dynamic modelling of micro/nano-patterning transfer by an electric field

Abstract

A computational electrohydrodynamic (EHD) model is presented for the 3D electrically induced fluid motion and free surface morphology evolution during EHD patterning transfer of micro/nano-structures. The model entails a finite difference solution of the electric field equation with a leaky dielectric model to account for polymer behaviour, the Navier–Stokes equations for electrically driven flows and the phase field equation for the free surface deformation. These equations are fully coupled and represent a very large complex numerical system. Once discretized, the intensive computation is alleviated with the use of parallel computing algorithms. Computed results are presented that illustrate the transient development of 3D micro/nano-structures under an electric field. Two classical templates are considered in this study, for both of which the polymeric structures conform well to the template, resulting in the micro/nano-patterning transfer from the template to polymer film. The model is a useful tool to explore optimal conditions for scalable manufacturing of large scale nanostructures using the EHD patterning processes.