Nanocube Imprint Lithography

In recent years, imprint lithography has emerged as a promising patterning technique capable of high-speed and volume production. In this work, we report highly reproducible one-step printing of metal nanocubes. A dried film of monocrystalline silver cubes serves as the resist and a soft polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) stamp directly imprints the final pattern. The use of atomically smooth and sharp faceted nanocubes facilitates the printing of high-resolution and well-defined patterns with face-to-face alignment between adjacent cubes. It also permits digital control over the linewidth of patterns such as straight lines, curves and complex junctions over an area of several square millimeters. Single-particle lattices as well as three-dimensional (3D) nanopatterns are also demonstrated with an aspect ratio up to 5 in the vertical direction. The high fidelity nanocube patterning combined with the previously demonstrated epitaxial overgrowth can enable curved (single) crystals from solution at room temperature or highly efficient transparent conductors.