title: The controlled evolution of a polymer single crystal.
abstract: We present a method for controlling the initiation and kinetics of polymer crystal growth using dip-pen nanolithography and an atomic force microscope tip coated with poly-dl-lysine hydrobromide. Triangular prisms of the polymer epitaxially grow on freshly cleaved mica substrates, and their in-plane and out-of-plane growth rates can be controlled by raster scanning the coated tip across the substrate. Atomic force microscope images were concomitantly recorded, providing a set of photographic images of the process as it spans the nanometer- to micrometer-length scales as a function of environmental conditions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Institute for Nanotechnology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA.
authors.forename: Xiaogang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Dipak K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Goswami
authors.forename: John S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Okasinski
authors.forename: Khalid
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Salaita
authors.forename: Peng
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Bedzyk
authors.forename: Chad A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Mirkin
mesh_terms: D000538:Aluminum Silicates; D003460:Crystallization; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force; D049329:Nanostructures; D036103:Nanotechnology; D011107:Polylysine / Q000737:chemistry*; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction
chemical_list: D000538:Aluminum Silicates; D011108:Polymers; D011107:Polylysine; C011934:mica