Fabrication of ordered poly(methyl methacrylate) nanobowl arrays using SiO2 colloidal crystal templates

A simple approach is presented for the fabrication of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) nanobowl arrays over cm2 areas using SiO2 colloidal crystal templates. SiO2 colloidal crystal templates were prepared on a clean glass substrate by self-assembled SiO2 spheres of 410 nm in diameter. The air between the silica spheres was filled by the superfluous monomer of PMMA that can be subsequently polymerized. After infiltration, the SiO2-PMMA templates were immersed in a 3 wt% hydrofluoric acid (HF) aqueous solution. After 24 h, silica spheres were etched and a free-standing nanobowl sheet was obtained. The size of the nanobowls could be controlled by the size of the SiO2 spheres and the area of the nanobowl sheet could be altered by the size of the glass substrate.