Nanolithography:

Nanolithography is the art and science of etching, writing, or printing at the microscopic level, where the dimensions of characters are on the order of nanometers (units of 10-9 meter, or millionths of a millimeter). [1]

The Instruments used in nanolithography include the scanning probe microscope (SPM) and the atomic force microscope (AFM).

Please note that there are other techniques used in nanolithography, which we will discuss in detail in the upcoming pages. Some of the most common techniques are listed below;

• Dip-Pen Nanolithography
• Photon Nanolithography
• Soft Nanolithography
• E-beam Nanolithography

Dip-Pen Nanolithography (DPN):

Dip-Pen Nanolithography (DPN), which is based on a new (AFM) soft nanolithography technique, is a scanning probe nanopatterning technique in which an (AFM) tip is used to deliver molecules to a surface via a solvent meniscus, which naturally forms in the ambient atmosphere. This direct-write technique offers high-resolution patterning capabilities for a number of molecular and biomolecular 'inks' on a variety of substrates, such as metals, semiconductors, and monolayer functionalized surfaces. (The picture below should give you a better idea of DPN).

The image above is a schematic drawing of the Dip-Pen Nanolithography (DPN) technique.

Applications for DPN:

The following list only lists some of the applications that will be impacted by Dip-Pen Nanolithography (DPN). They are as follows;

• Conducting Polymers
• Protein Nanorays
• Small Organic Molecules
• Silicon Nanostructures
• Sol Gel Templates
• Single Nanoparticle Lines

More information coming soon on nanolithography.

References:

[1] - Whatis.com - offers definitions to IT (Information Technology) related words.