MASSIVELY PARALLEL MULTI-TIP NANOSCALE WRITER WITH FLUIDIC CAPABILITIES - FOUNTAIN PEN NANOLITHOGRAPHY (FPN)

Arrays of atomic force microscope (AFM) probes were developed for applications of dip-pen nanolithography (DPN), which is capable of surface patterning with functionalized bio-molecules and can be used to construct biological and chemical sensors. Microchannels were embedded in AFM probes to transport ink or bio-molecules from reservoirs to substrates, realizing continuous writing at the nanoscale. This so-called “fountain-pen nanolithography” (FPN) device was developed using surface and bulk micromachining. A volcano tip, which is a completely novel design for microfluidics, was built at the end of the AFM probe as a dispensing mechanism. Numerical simulations were performed to evaluate flow characteristics and the optimal materials for the volcano-tip probes. The results determined the selection of appropriate materials and the design of microfabrication steps. Multilayer films and thermal oxidation were used to integrate volcano tips and microchannels into AFM probes. The proposed FPN devices will likely expand the capabilities of surface functionalization and manipulation at the nanoscale in a massively parallel way.