Fabrication of 10nm scale nano-pattern on the flexible substrates by secondary sputtering phenomenon and its application to flexible transparent conducting film

Abstract

Fabrication of high resolution nano pattern for high performance and density on the flexible substrates has been issued for applications to the flexible electronics and advantages such as flexibility, light weight, low cost and nonplanar substrates. However, although con-ventional patterning method, photolithography, is able to fabricate the high resolution pattern, it requires the high temperature, UV focusing and swelling of substrates by the solvent process which are deforming the polymer substrates. Here, in order to address such problems, we introduce the simple patterning method on the flexible substrates with high resolution (ca. 15nm) and high aspect ratio (ca. 25) at the low temperature and pressure without solvent pro-cess over a large area by secondary sputtering phenomenon, ejected particles from target ma-terial are deposited on the sidewall of pre-patterned polymer during the Ar+ ion milling pro-cess. And using the advantages of this method, we apply Au line pattern to the flexible trans-parent electrode and flexible organic solar cell. It shows the comparable performance of con-ventional transparent electrode such as ITO with high flexibility.