Patent ID: 11920252
Assignee: THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
Field: Surface technology, coating (Chemistry)
Classification: CPC C | IPC C

Claim 9:
10. A method of preparing a metal matrix device, comprising:
performing multibeam interference lithography on a photoresist composition comprising an aromatic epoxy monomer and a photoinitiator deposited on a conductive substrate to form an interference pattern of constructive volumes and destructive volumes in the photoresist composition, thereby developing the photoresist composition to form a three-dimensional photonic crystal template having a periodic pattern of cured aromatic epoxy resin volumes and void volumes derived from the constructive volumes and destructive volumes;
depositing copper on surfaces of the three-dimensional photonic crystal template by electrodeposition to form a copper matrix within the void volumes; and
separating the copper matrix from the three-dimensional photonic crystal template by contacting the three-dimensional photonic crystal template with a molten salt comprising a plurality of alkali metal hydroxides at a temperature of about 350° C. or less, wherein the plurality of alkali metal hydroxides are at least two different alkali metal hydroxides selected from lithium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, and cesium hydroxide, the three-dimensional photonic crystal template decomposes and the copper matrix experiences substantially no oxidation.