Selective-area atomic layer epitaxy growth of ZnO features on soft lithography-patterned substrates

Templated ZnO thin-film growth from the vapor phase is achieved on docosyltrichlorosilane-patterned Si substrates using atomic layer epitaxy (ALE) combined with soft lithography. Patterned hydrophobic self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) are first transferred to single-crystal Si surfaces by hot microcontact printing. Using diethylzinc and water as ALE precursors, crystalline ZnO layers are then grown selectively on the SAM-free surface regions where native hydroxy groups nucleate growth from the vapor phase. High-resolution ZnO patterns with 1.0-40 μm feature sizes are readily achieved, demonstrating that soft lithography combined with ALE is a simple and promising methodology for selective area in situ vapor phase fabrication of patterned oxide thin films.