Generation of Sub‐micrometer‐scale Patterns by Successive Miniaturization Using Hydrogels

Macroscopic to sub-micrometer-scale patterns and objects are generated by successive miniaturization of an original pattern using the volume-shrinking characteristics of hydrogels. A pattern from a stamp is transferred onto a hydrogel block, which is then dried to shrink its size. The shrunk pattern is subsequently transferred to a polymer stamp, which can be used as master for the next cycle. The figure shows the shrinking of the patterns of a CD (left) and a DVD (right).