Electrochemical imprinting of micro- and nano-structures in porous silicon, silicon, and other semiconductors

Abstract

An imprinting platform including a noble metal catalyst, a semiconductor substrate, and a pre-patterned polymer stamp, where the catalyst is attached to the stamp, and related methods and articles.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An imprinting platform, comprising:
 a noble metal catalyst;   a semiconductor substrate; and   a pre-patterned polymer stamp,
 wherein the catalyst is attached to the stamp. 
   
     
     
         2 . The imprinting platform of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate is porous silicon. 
     
     
         3 . The imprinting platform of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate is non-porous silicon and the stamp is porous. 
     
     
         4 . The imprinting platform of  claim 1 , wherein the noble metal catalyst is gold. 
     
     
         5 . A method of patterning silicon utilizing the imprinting platform of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the patterning operates at room temperature. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the catalyst-attached stamp is reused. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein a paraboloid, parabolic cylinder, sinusoidal wave, or straight sidewall channel geometric feature is produced in a single step. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the method comprises a step-and-repeat automated system. 
     
     
         10 . An article produced according to the method of  claim 5 . 
     
     
         11 . The article of  claim 10 , wherein the substrate has been imprinted with paraboloid, parabolic cylinder, sinusoidal wave, or straight sidewall channel geometric features. 
     
     
         12 . An optoelectronic device, interconnect, biosensor, sub-wavelength photonic, or micro-optic comprising the article of  claim 10 .