Creating bicolor patterns via selective photobleaching with a single dye species

Bicolor fluorescent pattern in thin polymer film is fabricated via a photobleaching process. Dye molecules exhibit monomer emission when they are dispersed inside the polymer and aggregate emission when they are on the surface of the polymer. Thus, a mixed emission of monomer and aggregate can be obtained by evaporating a single dye species on the polymer film. Bicolor pattern in thin polymer film is readily formed by selective photobleaching. This process is particularly attractive for the fabrication of bicolor patterns on flat substrates using a single dye species, which is of potential applications in photonic/electronic devices.