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Titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles were prepared using a polystyrene‐block‐polyethyleneoxide copolymer as a template. As a preliminary study whether polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) is a suitable polymeric replacement for barrier layers, PDMS was spin coated over the TiO2 nanoparticles and subsequently etched by oxygen plasma. The surface characteristics of the particles were investigated using Scanning Electron Microscopy and photoluminescence (PL). The PL measurements indicated the formation of exciton traps close to the particle surface after plasma treatment. The stability of the TiO2 nanoparticles upon sealing with PDMS followed by etching of the polymer overcoating was confirmed with microbeam grazing incidence small angle X‐ray scattering measurements.
The authors would like to thank T. Wagner, J. Thiel, and G. Kircher for homopolymer and copolymer synthesis, H. J. Menges for PL measurements, Andreas Best for his help with optical profiler and Dr. S. V. Roth for his help in µGISAXS measurements. The financial supports from the Max Planck Society, MEST‐CT‐2004‐513924, and DFG SPP1181 (GU771/2‐1 and MU1487/5‐1) and provision of beamtime by HASYLAB are gratefully acknowledged.