This course will expose students to the science of sub-micron, meso and nanoscale patterning of surfaces with special emphasis on thin soft films like gels, polymers etc. The course will focus on the different classes of thin film patterning techniques like the top down techniques (lithography), bottom up techniques (self assembly and self organization) as well as combination of the two (confined and template guided self organization) as well as focus on various engineering applications of the patterned thin films like super wetting and super hydrophobicity, structural color, metamaterials, super adhesives and easy release coatings, microfluidics etc. The course will be expose the students to the various soft lithography techniques and will focus on how hydrodynamics and capillarity plays and intriguingly critical role in evolution and pattern formation. (from nptel.ac.in)