Fabrication of TiO₂ Grating with Composites of Azobenzene Polymer and TiO₂ Nanoparticles

We have used the formation of surface relief gratings (SRG) on azobenzene polymers to manipulate TiO₂ nanoparticles and to fabricate TiO₂ nanoparticle gratings. Suspensions of an azobenzene polymer (PDO3) and TiO₂ were used to spin coat thin films on glass slide substrates. By interfering coherent light from an Argon laser on the surface of the PDO3‐TiO₂ composite films, SRGs were fabricated. Atomic force microscopic images of the SRGs show TiO₂ nanoparticles dispersed throughout the sample, and in particular, at the peaks of the SRG after oxygen plasma treatment. The lateral forces acting on the azobenzene polymer during the SRG fabrication drag the TiO₂ nanoparticles. These results indicated that it is feasible to create TiO₂ nanoparticle gratings with the composites.

Keywords:

• SRG structure
• azobenzene polymer
• TiO₂ nanoparticles

5 Acknowledgments

This study was supported by U.S. Army Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center (contract number W911 QY‐06‐C‐0060) and National Science Foundation (contract number ECS‐0601602). The authors would like to thank Dianne Cazeca for assistance with the preparation of this manuscript and Dr. Aloke Jain for helpful discussions.

Notes

^†Dedicated to the memory of Professor Sukant K. Tripathy.