Patterned polymer thin films are essential components in many devices and applications owing to the multi-functionality, flexibility, lightweight and cost-efficiency. Unfortunately, conventional photolithography needs the use of developers and strippers which contain solvents and reagents that may dissolve, swell or degrade the polymer thin film substrates. Alternatively, non-photolithographic strategies provide alternative options and avoid the complicated optical systems, offering versatile routes for fabricating polymeric micro- and nanostructures. In this review, we summarize the recent progress in non-photolithographic patterning methods including soft lithography, nanoimprint lithography, direct writing, self-assembly of block copolymers, area-selective vapor phase deposition and instability induced patterning. These patterning approaches have been applied to various applications such as chromic devices, polymer light-emitting diodes, sensors, transistors, and protein and cellular engineering and many other scenarios. Finally, the subsisting challenges and future research directions of non-photolithographic patterning approaches are highlighted from the aspect of resolution, reliability and scalability.

由于具有多功能性、柔韧性、重量轻和成本效益，图案化聚合物薄膜是许多设备和应用中必不可少的组件。不幸的是，传统的光刻需要使用含有溶剂和试剂的显影剂和剥离剂，这些溶剂和试剂可能会溶解、膨胀或降解聚合物薄膜基材。或者，非光刻策略提供了替代选择并避免了复杂的光学系统，为制造聚合物微结构和纳米结构提供了多种途径。在这篇综述中，我们总结了非光刻图案化方法的最新进展，包括软光刻、纳米压印光刻、直写、嵌段共聚物的自组装、区域选择性气相沉积和不稳定性诱导图案化。这些图案化方法已应用于各种应用，例如变色设备、聚合物发光二极管、传感器、晶体管、蛋白质和细胞工程以及许多其他场景。最后，从分辨率、可靠性和可扩展性方面强调了非光刻图案化方法的剩余挑战和未来研究方向。