Fabrication of three-dimensionally structured titanium oxide thin films by transfer printing

The fabrication of a three-dimensionally structured metal oxide on various substrates mediated with self-assemble monolayer (SAM) Au-precoated substrates, such as Si wafer, non-planar glass, and flexible plastic, is important for a number of practical applications in electronics, photonics, and biotechnology. In this report, we describe the use of transfer printing for forming three-dimensionally structured TiO ₂ thin films with feature sizes of 10 μm in the diameter and 3 μm in height over areas of several square millimeters by direct patterning onto Si surfaces. This process is mediated by the presence of a 3-mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane monolayer that guides the transfer of three-dimensionally structured TiO ₂ thin films from the low-energy surfaces of the mold to a Si substrate via surface forces.