Precise control of the surface topographies of polymer coatings is crucial to developing high-performance materials and devices for a wide variety of applications, such as optical displays, micro/nanofabrication, photonic devices, and microscale actuators. Mainly, photocontrolled polymer surfaces, such as photoinduced surface relief, have been studied through photochemical mass transport. In this study, we propose a novel method triggering the mass transport by photopolymerization of liquid crystals with structured light and demonstrate the single-step formation of microscale well and canal structures on the surface of polymer films. Such well and canal structures can be arranged in two dimensions by designing light patterns.

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Atsushi Shishido, "Two-dimensionally aligned liquid-crystalline polymer coatings designed by patterned photopolymerization," Proc. SPIE PC13121, Liquid Crystals XXVIII, PC1312103 (Presented at Organic Photonics + Electronics: August 18, 2024; Published: 30 September 2024); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.3027528.79ed8a18-80c4-ee11-a99e-005056914f1c.