Three techniques for micropatterning liquid crystalline polymers

Liquid crystalline elastomers and polymers, which are able to undergo large, reversible deformations in response to an applied stimulus (including heat, pH, or electromagnetic radiation) could potentially be useful in a variety of microactuator devices. However, in order to compete with traditional silicon-based systems it is necessary to show that liquid crystalline polymers can be patterned with reduced dimensions without losing their functionality. In this article we investigate three different techniques which can be used to pattern liquid crystalline polymers on the micro- and nanoscale. These techniques are templating, photopatterning, and microtransfer printing. Advantages and disadvantages of each process are explored.