title: Multifunctional hydrogel nano-probes for atomic force microscopy.
abstract: Since the invention of the atomic force microscope (AFM) three decades ago, there have been numerous advances in its measurement capabilities. Curiously, throughout these developments, the fundamental nature of the force-sensing probe-the key actuating element-has remained largely unchanged. It is produced by long-established microfabrication etching strategies and typically composed of silicon-based materials. Here, we report a new class of photopolymerizable hydrogel nano-probes that are produced by bottom-up fabrication with compressible replica moulding. The hydrogel probes demonstrate excellent capabilities for AFM imaging and force measurement applications while enabling programmable, multifunctional capabilities based on compositionally adjustable mechanical properties and facile encapsulation of various nanomaterials. Taken together, the simple, fast and affordable manufacturing route and multifunctional capabilities of hydrogel AFM nano-probes highlight the potential of soft matter mechanical transducers in nanotechnology applications. The fabrication scheme can also be readily utilized to prepare hydrogel cantilevers, including in parallel arrays, for nanomechanical sensor devices.
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Sogang University, 35 Baekbeom-ro (Sinsu-dong), Mapo-gu, Seoul 04107, South Korea.
authors.forename: Jae Seol
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Sogang University, 35 Baekbeom-ro (Sinsu-dong), Mapo-gu, Seoul 04107, South Korea.
authors.forename: Jungki
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Song
authors.affiliation: School of Materials Science and Engineering and Centre for Biomimetic Sensor Science, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 637553, Singapore.
authors.forename: Seong Oh
authors.initials: SO
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Sogang University, 35 Baekbeom-ro (Sinsu-dong), Mapo-gu, Seoul 04107, South Korea.
authors.forename: Seokbeom
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Sogang University, 35 Baekbeom-ro (Sinsu-dong), Mapo-gu, Seoul 04107, South Korea.
authors.forename: Wooju
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: School of Materials Science and Engineering and Centre for Biomimetic Sensor Science, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 637553, Singapore.
authors.forename: Joshua A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Jackman
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Sogang University, 35 Baekbeom-ro (Sinsu-dong), Mapo-gu, Seoul 04107, South Korea.
authors.forename: Dongchoul
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: School of Materials Science and Engineering and Centre for Biomimetic Sensor Science, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 637553, Singapore.|School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 62 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 637459, Singapore.
authors.forename: Nam-Joon
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Sogang University, 35 Baekbeom-ro (Sinsu-dong), Mapo-gu, Seoul 04107, South Korea.
authors.forename: Jungchul
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lee