Top-down patterning of zeolitic imidazolate framework composite thin films by deep X-ray lithography.

For the first time a top-down process was used to control the spatial location of Metal-Organic Frameworks on a surface. Deep X-ray lithography was utilised to micropattern a Zeolitic Imidazolate Framework layer on a sol-gel surface, with exposure hardening the sol-gel by inducing crosslinking while leaving the frameworks intact.