title: Low-volume liquid delivery and nanolithography using a nanopipette combined with a quartz tuning fork-atomic force microscope.
abstract: Electric-field-induced low-volume liquid ejection under ambient conditions was realized at a low bias potential of 12 V via a nanopipette (aperture diameter of 30 nm) combined with a non-contact, distance-regulated (within 10 nm) quartz tuning fork-atomic force microscope. A capillary-condensed water meniscus, spontaneously formed in the tip-substrate nanogap, reduces the ejection barrier by four orders of magnitude, facilitating nanoliquid ejection and subsequent liquid transport/dispersion onto the substrate without contact damage from the pipette. A study of nanofluidics through a free-standing liquid nanochannel and nanolithography was performed with this technique. This is an important breakthrough for various applications in controlled nanomaterial-delivery and selective deposition, such as multicolor nanopatterning and nano-inkjet devices.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics and Astronomy, Seoul National University, Daehak-dong, Gwanak-gu, Seoul 151-747, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sangmin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: An
authors.forename: Corey
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Stambaugh
authors.forename: Gunn
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Manhee
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Yonghee
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Kunyoung
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Wonho
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Jhe