Nonplanar patterned nanostructured surface and printing methods for making thereof

An apparatus for applying a pattern to a nonplanar surface having a least one portion with a radius of curvature, the apparatus comprising:

• a stamper comprising an elastomeric stamp having a first major surface, wherein the first major surface of the stamp has a relief pattern of pattern elements extending away from a base surface, and wherein each pattern element comprises a stamping surface with a lateral dimension of greater than 0 and less than about 5 microns,
• an ink absorbed into the stamping surfaces of the stamp, the ink comprising a functionalizing molecule with a functional group selected to chemically bind to the nonplanar surface;
• a first motion controller supporting the stamper and adapted to move the stamp with respect to the nonplanar surface;
• a second motion controller adapted to move the nonplanar surface;
• and
• a force controller to control force at an interface between the stamping surfaces on the stamp and the nonplanar surface;
• wherein
• the first and the second motion controllers are adapted to move the stamp and the nonplanar surface in relative motion such that the stamping surfaces contact the nonplanar surface to impart the arrangement of pattern elements thereto, and
• wherein the force controller is adapted to mediate the relative motion between the stamp and the nonplanar surface to:
• (1) control a contact pressure at an interface between the stamping surfaces and the nonplanar surface, by
• (2) varying a contact force at the interface based on contact area at known positions on the stamping surface while the stamping surfaces and the nonplanar surface are in contact with each other.

A method of applying a pattern to an exterior surface of a roller, the method comprising:

• absorbing an ink into a major surface of a stamp, the ink comprising a functionalizing molecule with a functional group selected to chemically bind to the exterior surface of the roller, wherein the major surface of the stamp comprises a relief pattern of pattern elements extending away from a base surface, and wherein each pattern element comprises a stamping surface with a lateral dimension of greater than 0 and less than about 5 microns;
• contacting the stamping surface of the pattern elements with the surface of the roller to bind the functional group with the surface of the roller to form a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) of the functionalizing material on the surface of the roller and impart the arrangement of pattern elements thereto;
• translating the major surface of the stamp with respect to the surface of the roller, wherein translating the major surface of the stamp comprises:
• (1) controlling a contact pressure at an interface between the stamping surfaces and the surface of the roller, by
• (2) varying a contact force at the interface based on contact area at known positions on the stamping surface while the stamping surfaces and the surface of the roller are in contact with each other;
• and
• repositioning the stamp a plurality of times in a step and repeat fashion to transfer the arrangement of pattern elements to a plurality of different portions of the surface of the roller and form an array of pattern elements, wherein a stitch error between adjacent pattern elements in the array is less than about 10 μm.