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Tuning and Transcription of the Supramolecular Organization of a Fluorescent Silsesquioxane Precursor into Silica‐Based Materials through Direct Photochemical Hydrolysis–Polycondensation and Micropatterning
Author(s) -
Sallenave Xavier,
Dautel Olivier J.,
Wantz Guillaume,
Valvin Pierre,
LèrePorte JeanPierre,
Moreau Joel J. E.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
advanced functional materials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 6.069
H-Index - 322
eISSN - 1616-3028
pISSN - 1616-301X
DOI - 10.1002/adfm.200801387
Subject(s) - materials science , silsesquioxane , micropatterning , condensation polymer , chromophore , hydrosilylation , fluorescence , polymer chemistry , polymer , photochemistry , catalysis , organic chemistry , nanotechnology , chemistry , physics , quantum mechanics , composite material
A new fluorescent silsequioxane precursor with tuned optical properties and controlled aggregation properties is designed. The two cyclohexyl moieties introduced in the molecular structure allow the formation of very good quality films. The J‐aggregated structure is transcribed into the solid by photoacid‐catalyzed hydrolysis–polycondensation. Aggregation of the chromophores is reduced and highly fluorescent materials are obtained. The photoacid generator lies on the surface of the homogeneous layer of the sol–gel precursor. This phase separation presents several advantages, including UV protection of the chromophore and easy removal of the PAG. The first example of chemical amplification in the photolithography of the conjugated silsesquioxane precursor is demonstrated. As hydrolysis–polycondensation could be achieved in a controlled way by UV exposure, chemically amplified photolithography is achieved by irradiating a composite film (∼110 nm thick) on silicon wafer by using a copper TEM grid as shadow mask. The pattern is produced uniformly on a miscroscopic scale of 3 mm, the photopatterned pixels remaining highly fluorescent. The sizes of the photolithographed pixels correspond to the sizes of the rectangular holes of the 300 × 75 mesh grid (hole: 63 <$>μ<$>m × 204 <$>μ<$>m).