Rapid Micro-Scale Patterning of Alkanethiolate Self-Assembled Monolayers on Au Surface by Atmospheric Micro-Plasma Stamp

A dielectric barrier discharge-based micro-plasma stamp is used to transfer a micro-scale pattern onto ultra-thin octadecanethiolate (ODT) self-assembled monolayers chemically adsorbed on Au (111). The results show that the specified pattern was transferred onto ODT/Au with a distortion rate of less than 1% and no significant changes in the imprint dimensions. The adsorbates formed during plasma treatment or exposure to air affected the transfer of patterns. The wet-etching rate for the washed and patterned ODT/Au surface increased 1.6-fold compared to that for the unwashed one. The boundary of the underlaying Au pattern with plasma exposure increased approximate to 3% due to lateral diffusion of the Au etching solution.