Residue-free nanofilling with wetting solutions

Abstract

The stability of a liquid filament between two surfaces is utilized to fill nanochannels with no residue on the rest of the top surface. The stability condition is that the average contact angle of the liquid with the surfaces is less than 45 degrees. This condition means that a liquid that wets a surface can be used, which contrasts earlier results where liquids that readily dewet a surface are required for the filling. Experimental results are presented for filling nanochannels selectively with sol-gel solutions. (c) 2006 American Institute of Physics.