Materials systems for engineering optical and fluidic devices fabricated via three-dimensional nanoscale interference lithography

干涉光刻是一种非常健壮的方法，可以制造具有连续气孔网络的无缺陷三维纳米结构。这种多孔纳米结构在光学应用方面具有巨大的潜力，因为光与特征的纳米尺度强烈相互作用。在流体应用中也存在巨大的潜力，形成连续网络的纳米级通道可以具有由材料的选择和通道的准确纳米尺寸所赋予的量身定制的特性。通过使用纳米结构的光学和流体能力来形成光流控器件，具有进一步的可能性。基本的假设是，干涉光刻产生的大的无缺陷图案非常适合于有效和紧凑地结合光-流体相互作用的工程纳米材料。该研究计划的近期目标是：1)开发可靠地产生通过光致抗蚀剂干涉光刻形成图案的大规模块状薄膜的方法，然后将其反转或填充战略材料；2)开发使用流体试剂的技术，以便随后在纳米结构多孔性材料上叠加大规模和精细的图案化；3)测量和工程流体在纳米结构多孔性材料内流动产生的光信号。材料的溶剂浇铸、电沉积和溶胶-凝胶沉积将采用快速成型方法，以快速评估结构质量、工艺兼容性和材料适宜性。然后，最有希望的材料组合将被用于制造三维多孔纳米结构。纳米结构内的材料选择和内部材料分布将被操纵，以便在光子和流体之间产生有利的相互作用。这项研究可以提供更经济的太阳能收集，因为太阳光照射设备的角度可以通过纳米结构中的流体进行调整，以保持对微小嵌入式光伏电池的关注。进一步的应用可能出现在灵敏、紧凑和廉价的微流控光学传感器上。

Interference lithography is an exceptionally robust method for fabricating defect-free three-dimensional nanostructures with a continuous network of pores. Such porous nanostructures have great potential for optical applications as the light interacts strongly with the characteristic nanoscale dimensions. Great potential also exists in fluidic applications, where the nanoscale channels forming continuous networks can have tailored properties bestowed by both the choice of materials and the exact nanoscale dimensions of the channels. Further possibilities are had by using both the optical and fluidic capabilities of the nanoscale structures to form optofluidic devices. The underlying hypothesis is that the large defect-free patterns created by interference lithography are highly suitable for engineering nanostructured materials that effectively and compactly combine light-fluid interactions. The immediate goals of the research program are: 1) To develop methods to reliably create large-scale bulk films patterned by interference lithography of photoresists, which will then be inverted or infilled with strategic materials; 2) To develop techniques employing fluid reagents for subsequent large-scale and fine-scale patterning superimposed on the nanostructured porous materials; 3) To measure and engineer the optical signals arising from fluid flowing inside the nanostructured porous materials. Rapid prototyping methods will be employed with solvent casting, electrodeposition, and sol-gel deposition of materials to quickly assess structure quality, process compatibility, and material suitability. The most promising combinations of materials will then be employed in fabricating three-dimensional porous nanostructures. The material choices and internal material distribution inside the nanostructures will be manipulated in order to engineer a favourable interaction between photons and the fluid. This research could provide more economical solar energy collection as the angle at which the sun's rays strike the device can be adjusted for by fluids inside the nanostructure, to maintained focus on tiny embedded photovoltaic cells. Further applications could arise in sensitive, compact, and inexpensive microfluidic-optical sensors.