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Updated: Jun 3, 2026
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Patterning via Optical Saturable Transitions - Fabrication and Characterization
Published on: December 11, 2014
Optothermal Bubble Etch Lithography
Anand Swain1, Kent Nguyen1, Moein Nouri2
1Texas Materials Institute, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, United States.
ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces
|June 1, 2026
Summary
Optothermal Bubble Etch Lithography (OBEL) is a novel, eco-friendly method for high-resolution patterning. This maskless technique uses lasers and microbubbles for precise fabrication, offering a sustainable alternative for advanced manufacturing.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Chemical Engineering
Background:
- Subtractive nanomanufacturing is critical for high-precision devices.
- Conventional methods are resource-intensive and use hazardous materials.
Purpose of the Study:
- Introduce Optothermal Bubble Etch Lithography (OBEL) as a sustainable alternative.
- Enable localized, high-resolution patterning with minimal damage.
Main Methods:
- Utilize a low-power laser to generate microbubbles at the substrate-liquid interface.
- Employ solutal Marangoni convection for debris removal.
- Achieve spatially selective etching via concentrated etchant ions.
Main Results:
- Demonstrate a single-step, maskless lithography technique.
- Achieve submicron (∼450 nm) resolution with complex planar patterns.
- Operate at ultralow etchant concentrations (0.05 M).
Conclusions:
- OBEL is an environmentally friendly, cost-effective lithography method.
- Offers a scalable solution for micro- and nanoscale fabrication.
- Applicable to electronics, photonics, and biomedical fields.
