Features of gold having micrometer to centimeter dimensions can be formed through a combination of stamping with an elastomeric stamp and an alkanethiol ‘‘ink’’ followed by chemical etching

This letter describes a technique that can be used to produce well-defined features of gold. The technique involves patterning of a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) on a gold substrate using an elastomer stamp (fabricated either from a phenol-formaldehyde polymer or polydimethylsiloxane), followed by selective etching in an aqueous, basic solution of cyanide ion and dissolved dioxygen (1M KOH, 0.1 M KCN). Electrically conductive structures of gold with dimensions as small as 1 μm have been produced using this procedure. Once a rubber stamp is fabricated, patterning and etching of gold substrates is straightforward. This method is convenient, does not require routine access to clean rooms and photolithographic equipment, and can be used to produce multiple copies of a pattern.