Decal transfer microlithography

Decal transfer microlithography (DTM) is based on the transfer of elastomeric patterns onto a substrate by engineering the adhesion and release properties of a compliant polymer [22, 23). This polymer, most commonly, is PDMS, which may be patterned on a variety of substrates, including on PDMS itself. 

The major disadvantage of DTM is the long processing time, specially imprinting time, since the interfacial bond strength between PDMS and the substrate increases only gradually, until it becomes irreversible [24, 25]. Nor is DTM well suited to patterning in the submicrometer scale since, due to the low modulus of PDMS, the patterns transferred by this mode would be very thin and their aspect ratio (A R) would be too low [26]. 

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Childs, W. R. Nuzzo, R. G. 2002. Decal transfer microlithography A new soft-lithographic patterning method. J. Amer. Chem. Soc. 124 13583-13596. 

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