Introduction to Soft Lithography Replica Molding (REM) Microtransfer Molding (μTM) Micromolding in Capillaries (MIMIC) Solvent-Assisted Micromolding (SAMIM) Annu. Rev. Mater. Sci. 25, 153, (1998) Younan Xia and George M. Whitesides

Replica Molding (REM)

Advantages of REM (I) Capable of reproducing the verticle dimention of nanostructures with accuracy Can be used to generate miltiple copies of nanostrctures strting from a single master

Advantages of REM (II) Both master and mold can be repeatedly used >=1000 times without damaging to the master or of degradation in the quality of the PU replicas. The size and shapes of the surface of a PDMS mold can be manipulated in a controlled way.

Microtransfer Molding (μTM)

Advantages of μTM (I) Can produce patterned microstructures of a wide variety of polymers. Cacable of generating both interconnected and isolated microstructures

Advantages of μTM (II) Can form microstructures on nonplanar surfaces. Enables the fabrication of three-dimensional microstructures layer by layer. Applicable a variety of materials other then organic polymers.

Micromolding in Capillaries (MIMIC)

Advantages of MIMIC Applicable to patterning a braoder range of materials than photolithography. Can form complex arrays in a single step while photolithography requires more. May prove useful in the fabrication of flexible, all-plastic electronic and photoelectronic devices.

Solvent-Assisted Micromolding (SAMIM)

Requirement of SAMIM (I) A solvent that dissolves the substrate, and wet (but swells very little) the surface of the PDMS. In general, the solvent should have a relatively high vapor pressure and a moderately high surface tension.

Advantages of SAMIM Can be used with a wide variety of materials. Can replicated complex relief structures over large areas in a single step.