title: Nanopatterning of mobile lipid monolayers on electron-beam-sculpted Teflon AF surfaces.
abstract: Direct electron-beam lithography is used to fabricate nanostructured Teflon AF surfaces, which are utilized to pattern surface-supported monolayer phospholipid films with 50 nm lateral feature size. In comparison with unexposed Teflon AF coatings, e-beam-irradiated areas show reduced surface tension and surface potential. For phospholipid monolayer spreading experiments, these areas can be designed to function as barriers that enclose unexposed areas of nanometer dimensions and confine the lipid film within. We show that the effectiveness of the barrier is defined by pattern geometry and radiation dose. This surface preparation technique represents an efficient, yet simple, nanopatterning strategy supporting studies of lipid monolayer behavior in ultraconfined spaces. The generated structures are useful for imaging studies of biomimetic membranes and other specialized surface applications requiring spatially controlled formation of self-assembled, molecularly thin films on optically transparent patterned polymer surfaces with very low autofluorescence.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering and ‡Quantum Device Physics Laboratory, Chalmers University of Technology , 41296 Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Mehrnaz
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shaali
authors.forename: Samuel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lara-Avila
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dommersnes
authors.forename: Alar
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ainla
authors.forename: Sergey
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kubatkin
authors.forename: Aldo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jesorka
mesh_terms: D004583:Electrons; D008055:Lipids / Q000737:chemistry*; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000737:chemistry*; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000379:methods*; D011138:Polytetrafluoroethylene / Q000737:chemistry*; D013499:Surface Properties
chemical_list: D008055:Lipids; D011138:Polytetrafluoroethylene
keywords: Teflon AF; e-beam sculpting; lipid monolayer; lipid spreading; nanofluidics