AVS 49th International Symposium
    Nanometer Structures Tuesday Sessions
       Session NS-TuP

Paper NS-TuP6
Nanolithography and Biofunctionalisation for Cell Adhesion Studies

Tuesday, November 5, 2002, 5:30 pm, Room Exhibit Hall B2

Session: Nanometer Structures A
Presenter: M. Arnold, University of Heidelberg, Germany
Authors: A. Szucs, University of Heidelberg, Germany
M. Arnold, University of Heidelberg, Germany
Ch. Geierhaas, University of Heidelberg, Germany
J.P. Spatz, University of Heidelberg, Germany
Correspondent: Click to Email
Periodic and artificial lateral nanostructures with micrometer or nanometer spacings have been prepared through the combination of a top-down approach (electron beam lithography) with a bottom-up approach (formation and compartmental localization of metallic and semiconductor nanodots within block copolymer micelles). E-beam lithography was used to construct patterned templates with characteristic spacings greater than 200 nm of coarse prestructures. Within these structures, Au nanoparticles and/or quantum dots (Q-dots) (CdS, CdSe and CdTe) in the size range of 2-8 nm could be positioned with a precision of approx. 10 nm by means of a self-assembling polymer micelle. The particle size was controlled by the length of the reverse micellar core constructing polymer and the salt loading inside the core. Specifically, it was obtained by casting a solution of HAuCl4 and/or Cd salt loaded block copolymer micelles onto the prestructured resist film. Due to capillary effects and steric hindering, the particles are centered within the prepatterned holes and at the edges of prestructured lines. Subsequent lift-off of the resist allows the removal of all micelles with the exception of those that are in direct contact to the underlying substrate. The block copolymer is then removed by plasma etching, which strips the polymer micelle and reduces the gold salt to gold thereby leaving behind nanoscopic dots or lines of gold in a defined array. These nanostructured interfaces are used as platform for biofunctionalisation of solid interfaces. The surfaces are used as a tool to investigate cluster formation of focal adhesion associated proteins of fibroblasts.