Jan Robert Kafka

Hydrogen silsesquioxane mold coatings for improved replication of nanopatterns by injection molding

We demonstrate the replication of nanosized pillars in polymer (cyclic olefin copolymer) by injection molding using nanostructured thermally cured hydrogen silsesquioxane (HSQ) ceramic coatings on stainless steel mold inserts with mold nanostructures produced by a simple embossing process. At isothermal mold conditions, the average pillar height increases by up to 100% and a more uniform height distribution is observed compared to a traditional metal mold insert. Thermal heat transfer simulations predict that the HSQ film retards the cooling of the polymer melt during the initial stages of replication, thus allowing more time to fill the nanoscale cavities compared to standard metal molds. A monolayer of a fluorinated silane (heptadecafluorotrichlorosilane) deposited on the mold surface reduces the mold/polymer interfacial energy to support demolding of the polymer replica. The mechanical stability of thermally cured HSQ makes it a promising material for nanopattern replication on an industrial scale without the need for slow and energy intensive variotherm processes.

Micro-drilling of polymer tubular ultramicroelectrode arrays for electrochemical sensors.

We present a reproducible fast prototyping procedure based on micro-drilling to produce homogeneous tubular ultramicroelectrode arrays made from poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT), a conductive polymer. Arrays of Ø 100 μm tubular electrodes each having a height of 0.37 ± 0.06 μm were reproducibly fabricated. The electrode dimensions were analyzed by SEM after deposition of silver dendrites to visualize the electroactive electrode area. The electrochemical applicability of the electrodes was demonstrated by voltammetric and amperometric detection of ferri-/ferrocyanide. Recorded signals were in agreement with results from finite element modelling of the system. The tubular PEDOT ultramicroelectrode arrays were modified by prussian blue to enable the detection of hydrogen peroxide. A linear sensor response was demonstrated for hydrogen peroxide concentrations from 0.1 mM to 1 mM.

Grating-based guided-mode resonance devices and degradation of their performance in real-life conditions

Guided-mode resonances in structures having periodicity along at least one dimension were widely employed in the last decade in various optical devices. Initially it was shown that at frequencies close to the second order band gap periodic structures can feature total reflection of light due to the guided modes propagating along the surface of the grating. As an application, this allows to substitute a thick multilayer Bragg mirror in VCSELs by a thin grating-based mirror. Most devices utilizing guided-mode resonances were theoretically and numerically investigated with the idealized model of an infinite periodic structure illuminated by a plane wave. To see how grating-based components can perform in real life we take into account two critical factors: the finite size of the grating and the Gaussian shape of the light source replacing a plane wave. These factors can significantly change and impair the performance of filters, mirrors, sensors and other devices operating by the guided-mode resonance effect. We also show experimentally that for some kinds of gratings guided-mode resonances can vanish if the grating is illuminated by extended source, i.e. heated plate in our case, focused on the sample.