UV decomposable molecules and a photopatternable monomolecular film formed therefrom

摘要

Provided is a molecule comprising a structural component (A) which decomposes when irradiated with UV light having a wavelength in the range 254-400 nm (such as an o-nitrobentyl ester), and a structural component (B) which is hydrophobic and/or lipophobic (such as a fluorinated chain). Such a molecule may form all or part of a self-assembled monolayer film on a substrate. Also provided is a monomolecular film coated substrate (10), the film being formed from molecules comprising a structural component (B) which is hydrophobic and/or lipophobic, and a structural component (A) which decomposes (step (2) to (3) in figure 2) when irradiated with UV light having a wavelength in the range 254-400 nm to cleave away a part of the molecule comprising the structural component (B) leaving a residual hydrophilic structural component (C). Such a substrate can be photopatterned by image-wise irradiating it with UV light having a wavelength in the range 254-400 nm through a patterned mask to cleave the coated molecules at the structural component (A) thus removing the structural component (B) from the coated film in the irradiated areas converting them from being hydrophobic and/or lipophobic to hydrophilic. Where the substrate has a hydrophilic surface, the monomolecular film may be formed entirely from the UV decomposable molecules. Otherwise, the film may be that of a coupling compound which comprises a hydrophilic moiety and the latter is subsequently reacted with the UV decomposable molecules (step (1) to (2) in figure 2).