Surface topography and surface chemistry of radiation-patterned P(tBuMA)—analysis by atomic force microscopy

✍ Scribed by Gregory S Watson; Jolanta A Blach; Dan V Nicolau; Duy K Pham; Jon Wright; Sverre Myhra

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2003
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 233 KB
• Volume: 52
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0959-8103
• DOI: 10.1002/pi.1113

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

Poly‐(tert‐butyl methacrylate) (P(__t__BuMA)) thin‐film surfaces were patterned by UV radiation at doses in the range 10–100 mJ cm^−2^, in order to induce laterally differentiated surface chemistry with µm resolution. The most likely pathway for the radiation chemistry predicts a transition from hydrophobicity to hydrophilicity. Outcomes of analysis by atomic force microscopy under air ambient conditions were consistent with that prediction. Topographic and lateral force imaging, in combination with friction loop analysis, revealed shrinkage and increased friction arising from exposure. Force versus distance analysis revealed greater adhesion in hydrophilic regions, due to greater meniscus force acting on the tip. The thickness of adsorbed moisture, increased by a factor of 2.5 from ca 0.8 nm for the unirradiated surface, as a result of greater hydrophilicity induced by radiation. The latter observation shows that the increased friction was due principally to the greater normal force on the tip from an additional meniscus force. Copyright © 2003 Society of Chemical Industry