Fully crosslinked chemically structured monolayers

A freestanding structured monolayer comprising low-molecular aromatics and being fully cross-linked in the lateral direction, the monolayer having a pattern of functional groups on one of the two surfaces, obtained by a method comprising:

• (a) providing a substrate,
• (b) optionally modifying at least one surface of the substrate,
• (c) applying a monolayer of low-molecular aromatics or applying a monolayer of low-molecular aromatics comprising at least one functional group to at least one, optionally modified surface of the substrate by bonding via anchor groups,
• (d) treating the substrate obtained in step (c) with high-energy radiation such that the monolayer comprising low-molecular aromatics is selectively cross-linked in the lateral direction in specific areas thus forming a pattern, whereby a monolayer with cross-linked and uncross-linked areas is formed,
• (e) treating the substrate obtained in step (d) with low-molecular aromatics comprising at least one functional group such that an exchange of the uncross-linked low-molecular aromatics for low-molecular aromatics comprising at least one functional group takes place, or
• treating the substrate obtained in step (d) with low-molecular aromatics such that an exchange of the uncross-linked low-molecular aromatics, which comprises at least one functional group, for low-molecular aromatics takes place, and
• (f) treating the substrate obtained in step (e) with high-energy radiation such that a cross-linking of the exchanged aromatics comprising at least one functional group takes place among one another and with the aromatics cross-linked in step (d), or such that a cross-linking of the exchanged aromatics takes place among one another and with the aromatics comprising at least one functional group and cross-linked in step (d), and optionally
• (g) removing the substrate to obtain a structured monolayer that is not bonded to a substrate.