Particle Assembly on Patterned “Plus/Minus” Polyelectrolyte Surfaces via Polymer-on-Polymer Stamping

Polymer-on-polymer stamping, the direct transfer of polyelectrolytes to oppositely charged surfaces, has been used to create alternate regions of “plus/minus (+/−)” charge on surfaces for the fabrication of colloidal particle arrays. Here, new approaches are also presented to create two types of smaller-scale patterns, ring patterns and small-dot patterns, by tuning the stamping conditions and stamp pretreatment. This method provides a means of forming numerous micron to submicron scale arrays atop a polyelectrolyte multilayer surface on substrates ranging from glass and silicon to plastic. Direct stamping of a polyelectrolyte atop solid charged surfaces such as silicon oxide may also be used to template colloid deposition.