Scanning probe microscope (SPM) scratching with a diamond-coated tip on a Si surface was performed in a low-force regime of less than 9 mN. The influence of various scan parameters on the groove size was investigated. The groove size could be precisely controlled by the applied force, scan direction, and the number of scan cycles. There is no effect of the scan speed on the groove size. It is concluded that high-speed nanolithography can be achieved without the degradation of patterns by SPM scratching. Using this method, more complex nanostructures such as a line and space pattern with a pitch of 30 nm and a dot array of 2:6 Â 10 10 cm À2 density were successfully fabricated on a Si surface.

No abstract

The predatory bug Orius sauteri is an indigenous natural enemy of thrips and whiteflies in Asian countries. To put these bugs to practical use in pest management, methods to attract and retain the bugs in agricultural fields are needed. We previously showed that violet light (405 nm) attracts O. sauteri selectively. Many thrips and whiteflies are attracted to UV or green light. In this study, we examined the effect of violet-LED illumination on O. sauteri in pesticide-free eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) cultivation. In three cultivation trials, the density of O. sauteri on eggplant leaves was consistently higher in the illuminated plots; at least twice that of the non-illuminated plots. Simultaneously, the density of thrips declined markedly to less than half that of the non-illuminated plots. We identified three positive effects of violet light including an “immediate-effect” on predator attraction, a “persistent-effect” on predator reproduction, and a “secondary-effect” on the food web structure. Our results showed that illumination with violet light provides a powerful tool for integrated pest management. This is the first report on the use of illumination to manipulate the behavior of natural enemies.