PATTERNED METAL ELECTRODEPOSITION USING AN ALKANETHIOLATE MASK

Alkanethiolate films were used as templates for patterned electrodepos ition of metal structures with micrometer dimensions. Two patterning s chemes were implemented, contact printing of a C16H33SH film and mecha nical scribing micrometer wide grooves in a self-assembled C16H33SH mo nolayer film. A thin film of nickel was then electrodeposited on film- free areas of the copper and gold substrates. The alkanethiolate templ ate can also be used as a mask for chemical etching. This was demonstr ated by etching C16H33SH patterned copper substrates. More complex str uctures can be built by combining both deposition and etching processe s.