Shrink and Wrinkle – Thermally Responsive Substrates for Thin‐Film Structuring

Thin films have been a key element in the technological development and growth of humanity. They were first used thousands of years ago and are still one of the cornerstones of modern science. Thin films are used in countless applications, from the sharpest knife in our kitchen to the most advanced computers. A key challenge to this technology is the ability to micro‐ and nanostructure thin films following deposition. In this chapter, we will review the use of thermally responsive shape memory polymers as attractive substrates for the deposition, micro and nanostructuration of thin films. The potential to use this method to assess the mechanical properties of polymeric thin films, to simulate cell microenvironments, and to be used in wearable electronic and electrochemical sensing are discussed. Toward the end of the chapter, we shall discuss some of the current challenges and opportunities for this relatively new technology.