Photocatalytic Nanosheet Lithography: Photolithography based on Organically Modified Photoactive 2D Nanosheets

Harvesting the properties of nanosheets is not only crucial from a fundamental perspective, but also for the development of novel functional devices based on 2D nanosheets. Herein, we demonstrate the processing of organically modified TBA_x H_1-x Ca₂ Nb₃ O₁₀ nanosheets into photonic thin films and study their colorimetric sensing properties in response to various aqueous and organic solvent vapors. Building on the enhanced solvent accessibility of TBA-containing nanosheets and their photocatalytic activity under UV irradiation, we develop a new concept for photocatalytic lithography using TBA_x H_1-x Ca₂ Nb₃ O₁₀ nanosheets as a negative photoresist to obtain high-fidelity micron-scale patterns of robust inorganic nanosheets. Photocatalytic nanosheet lithography (PNL) therefore adds a new resist-free, resource efficient direct patterning technique to the toolbox of photolithography.