Metal Organic Framework Template-Guided Electrochemical Lithography

Abstract The templating method is promising in fabrication of surface nanopatterns. Exploring new functions of the templates besides the masking and the molding function are important to strengthen their manufacturing capability towards complex surface nanopatterns. Here, we employed the metal organic framework (MOF) octahedra assembled monolayer as a template to perform metal electrodeposition and revealed the previously unidentified guiding growth mode capable of growing metallic films exactly underneath the MOF octahedra. The fast ion transport within the nanochannels of the MOF octahedral accounted for the guiding growth mode proven by the experimental measurements and the molecular dynamics simulations. The MOF template could be repeatedly used to create the same metallic surface nanopatterns on different substrates. The recyclability and the feasibility to create fine MOF nanopatterns using sophisticated lithographic methods endow the MOF’s guiding growth mode with great potentials in creating complex metallic surface nanopatterns at a low cost.