Fabrication of Thin Film Surface Templates from Two Immiscible Polymers by Phase Separation and Phototethering

Thin layer surface templates were fabricated by spin coating two immiscible polymers onto a photoreactive substrate, followed by photoirradiation and removal of the unreacted polymer with solvent. Phase-separation occurs during the spin coating process and the separated structure was tethered onto the substrate surface by photoirradiation, to yield a thin surface pattern on the substrate. The surface patterns thus obtained were robust, applicable to large areas, and could be tuned at will by designing component polymers.