Patterned Removal of Molecular Organic Films by Diffusion

We demonstrate that “contact patterning” subtractively patterns a wide range of molecular organic films of nanoscale thickness with nanometer-scale accuracy. In “contact patterning”, an elastomeric stamp with raised features is brought into contact with the organic film and subsequently removed, generating patterns by the diffusion of the film molecules into the stamp. The mechanism of material removal via diffusion is documented over spans of minutes, hours, and days and is shown to be consistently repeatable. Contact patterning provides a photolithography-free, potentially scalable approach to subtractive patterning of a wide range of molecular organic films.