Sub-50 nm scale to micrometer scale soft lithographic patterning of functional materials
Promotion date: 15. December 2011
Promotor: Prof.dr. ir. André ten Elshof
Assistant promotor: Prof. dr. ing. Dave Blank
| My PhD research is based on developing novel soft lithographic methods to fabricate functional material patterns on various substrates including silicon, glass and flexible plastic substrates. During the last four years I have worked on different aspects of micro and nanoscale fabrication which enabled simple, easy, cost effective methodologies to achieve 2d and 3d micro-nano patterns of functional materials including oxides, nanowires, semiconducting & metallic nanoparticles, metals, functional polymers and organic molecules on various substrates. In my research I combined various lithographic (soft lithographic techniques, stencil lithography and photolithography) and deposition methods (wet chemical synthesis, ALD, sputtering, PLD, sol-gel, spin casting, electroless deposition and electrodeposition) to achieve sub 50 nm resolution to micrometer scale patterns of a wide spectrum of materials.
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What was in the core of your thesis project at Mesa+?
My work here was highly experimental, using different kinds of soft lithographic techniques to fabricate patterns of functional materials. Perhaps in the future one can fabricate functional devices such as sensors, solar sells and electronic devices. I also collaborated with other Mesa+ experts on different areas of research,
Did you manage to write some nice publications?
From my PhD work I had six publications and around seven are underway still. Four articles were published in Langmuir, the other ones in: Journal of Materials Chemistry and ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces. Also I presented my research on conferences: MRS-meeting in Boston, EDNANO conference in Italy and in Holland, Veldhoven and Lunteren, at the STW conferences.
What are your future plans?
I like the freedom in the academic research. I would like to develop my own line of research. I am looking forward to interesting post-doc positions in top research groups/universities where I can involve in high quality multidisciplinary research. Also I keep the possibility open to go and work in industrial research. Then, I would keep my collaboration with universities or other knowledge institutes. .
What, in your opinion, is important for Mesa+ to stay successful in future?
I feel like MESA+ is a collection of experts from all areas of nanotechnology. Sharing different expertises lead to better results for Mesa+. Collaboration with other institutes can be enriching. The real passion of the PhD researchers, post-docs and faculty members is most important.