Scanning electrochemical imprinting microscopy: A tool for surface patterning

An approach for patterning surface with different structures in a single step is demonstrated. The approach is based on the construction of nondisk shape microelectrodes combined with the feedback mode of scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) for generating an anisotropic flux of electroactive species. The latter attains the shape of the microelectrode and imprints its shape upon reaction with the surface. We have demonstrated this approach in two model systems. The etching of GaAs using electrogenerated bromine resulted in the formation of etching structures imprinting the shape of the Pt microelectrode on the GaAs. The second system comprised the electrogeneration of silver ions from a silver microelctrode, which reacted with a copper surface causing the deposition of silver patterns matching the shape of the silver microelectrode. SECM tips with different shapes were constructed by different methods, including electron-beam lithography.