Fast and Versatile Multiscale Patterning by Combining Template-Stripping with Nanotransfer Printing

Metal nanostructures are widely used in plasmonic and electronic applications due to their inherent properties. Often, the fabrication of such nanostructures is limited to small areas, as the processing is costly, low-throughput, and comprises harsh fabrication conditions. Here, we introduce a template-stripping based nanotransfer printing method to overcome these limitations. This versatile technique enables the transfer of arbitrary thin film metal structures onto a variety of substrates, including glass, Kapton, silicon, and PDMS. Structures can range from tens of nanometers to hundreds of micrometers over a wafer scale area. The process is organic solvent-free, multilayer compatible, and only takes minutes to perform. The stability of the transferred gold structures on glass exceeds by far those fabricated by e-beam evaporation. Therefore, an adhesion layer is no longer needed, enabling a faster and cheaper fabrication as well as the production of superior nanostructures. Structures can be transferred onto curved substrates, and the technique is compatible with roll-to-roll fabrication; thus, the process is suitable for flexible and stretchable electronics.