Tip induced crystallization lithography

We demonstrate a new technique for efficiently fabricating large-area organic crystal arrays on substrates using tip induced crystallization lithography (TICL). This technique depends on coating an amorphous organic thin film on a substrate and then inducing crystallization of the thin film using an atomic force microscope tip. After the noncrystalline materials are removed from the substrate by heating or washing, the organic crystal arrays are stable on the substrate. In this communication, the size of the smallest feature made using TICL technique is less than 1 μm.