Self-assembly of fine particles on patterned wettability in dip coating and its scale extension with contact printing

Abstract

This study demonstrates the application of dip coating to self-assembly of fine particles on a substrate that is covered with line-and-space pattern of hydrophilic (SiO2) and hydrophobic materials (OTS). The pattern was fabricated on a substrate by lithography first. The substrates were drawn up from the water-based suspension in which particles were dispersed and the particles self-assembled on the hydrophilic region only forming the packed-structure. Then, contact printing was applied for the patterning to extend the scale. The scale was extended up to 10mm × 10mm while keeping the self-assemble performance.