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Selectively Micro-Patternable Fibers via In-Fiber Photolithography
Youngbin Lee1,2,3, Andres Canales1,2, Gabriel Loke1,2
1Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States.
ACS Central Science
|December 30, 2020
Summary
Researchers developed a scalable method to break the symmetry of multimaterial fibers, enabling higher densities of functional interfaces for advanced fiber-based devices and smart textiles.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Photonics
Background:
- Multimaterial fibers integrating diverse materials (glasses, metals, semiconductors, composites) are crucial for sensing, biomedicine, and robotics.
- The inherent longitudinal symmetry of conventional fibers restricts the density and arrangement of functional interfaces.
- Overcoming this limitation is key to enhancing the capabilities of fiber-based devices.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a scalable method for breaking the axial symmetry of multimaterial fibers.
- To increase the density of functional interfaces along the length of fiber-based devices.
- To enable advanced applications in areas like distributed sensing and smart textiles.
Main Methods:
- Combining thermal drawing and photolithography techniques.
- Utilizing a two-step polymerization process in thiol-epoxy and thiol-ene photopolymer networks.
- Creating a photoresist compatible with high-throughput thermal drawing under atmospheric conditions.
Main Results:
- Successful fabrication of meters-long multimaterial fibers with broken axial symmetry.
- Demonstration of deterministic patterning along the fiber length.
- Significant increase in the density of functional points achievable on fiber devices.
Conclusions:
- The developed method offers a scalable approach to engineer functional multimaterial fibers.
- Breaking axial symmetry unlocks new possibilities for high-density interfacial applications.
- This advancement holds potential for next-generation distributed sensors, optoelectronics, and smart textiles.
