Electro-Nanopatterning of Surface Relief Gratings on Azobenzene Layer-by-Layer Ultrathin Films by Current-Sensing Atomic Force Microscopy

The electro-nanopatterning and mechanism of pattern formation in azobenzene-containing layer-by-layer (LbL)
ultrathin films is described using surface probe microscopy techniques. First, arrays of nanodots were patterned
on these films to investigate applied time at constant voltage bias dependence in electro-nanopatterning. The
anisotropic mass transport and polar alignment of the azobenzene-containing films were observed after applying
the electric field and heating the sample locally with the cantilever tip. On the basis of this novel phenomenon,
small-sized surface relief gratings (SRG)s and their alignment were fabricated and observed by currentsensing
atomic force microscopy. The rate of mass transport for the polymer is mainly controlled by the
applied time at constant voltage bias between the cantilever and the electrode/substrate.