Formation of 0.3-nm-high stepped polymer surface by thermal nanoimprinting

Abstract

We performed atomic-scale surface patterning with a vertical resolution of approximately 0.3 nm on a poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) polymer sheet (10 × 10 mm2) by thermal nanoimprinting using an atomically stepped sapphire template (α-Al2O3 single crystal). The sapphire mold with () r-plane exhibited regularly arranged straight steps with a uniform height of approximately 0.31 nm. The template nanopattern could be transferred onto the surface of the PMMA sheet under the imprinting conditions of 0.2 MPa load for 300 s at 140 °C. Atomic stairs with approximately 0.26-nm-high straight steps and approximately 600-nm-wide terraces were formed on the PMMA surface.