Porous multilayer-coated AFM tips for dip-pen nanolithography of proteins.
A simple and novel method for fabricating nanoporous-structure-coated silicon nitride tips for dip-pen nanolithography (DPN) by using the layer-by-layer (LbL) technique has been developed. The pore sizes can be adjusted by treating the LbL films coated onto the amino-terminated self-assembled monolayer (NH(2)-SAM)-functionalized AFM tip surface with a base solution for different periods of time. This hydrophilic porous material can absorb biomolecules easily and also provides a larger-volume ink reservoir compared with a bare silicon nitride tip. Proof-of-concept of the porous AFM tip is demonstrated by using fluorescent proteins as ink molecules to fabricate protein patterns at the micrometer and submicrometer length scales.
Wu
Chien-Ching
CC
Laboratory of Supramolecular Chemistry and Technology, MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology and Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Twente, 7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands.
Xu
Huaping
H
Otto
Cees
C
Reinhoudt
David N
DN
Lammertink
Rob G H
RG
Huskens
Jurriaan
J
Subramaniam
Vinod
V
Velders
Aldrik H
AH
D000179:Acrylates / Q000737:chemistry; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000737:chemistry; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D011145:Polyvinyls / Q000737:chemistry; D011506:Proteins / Q000737:chemistry*; D017655:Silicon Compounds / Q000737:chemistry
D000179:Acrylates; D011145:Polyvinyls; D011506:Proteins; D017655:Silicon Compounds; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; C019535:poly(4-vinylpyridine); C032734:silicon nitride