Low-volume liquid delivery and nanolithography using a nanopipette combined with a quartz tuning fork-atomic force microscope

Abstract

Electric-field-induced low-volume liquid ejection under ambient conditions was realized at a low bias potential of 12 V via a nanopipette (aperture diameter of 30 nm) combined with a non-contact, distance-regulated (within 10 nm) quartz tuning fork-atomic force microscope. A capillary-condensed water meniscus, spontaneously formed in the tip-substrate nanogap, reduces the ejection barrier by four orders of magnitude, facilitating nanoliquid ejection and subsequent liquid transport/dispersion onto the substrate without contact damage from the pipette. A study of nanofluidics through a free-standing liquid nanochannel and nanolithography was performed with this technique. This is an important breakthrough for various applications in controlled nanomaterial-delivery and selective deposition, such as multicolor nanopatterning and nano-inkjet devices.

Optical microscope combined with the nanopipette-based quartz tuning fork-atomic force microscope for nanolithography

“…4 However, the output results can be confirmed by a scanning electron microscope (SEM), atomic force microscope (AFM), and so on, after fabrication process is done in the experiment. In this work, we proposed the in-situ capturing the nanofabrication process using the home-made OM combined with the nanopipette/QTF-AFM system [5][6][7] which defines the accurate position of substrate and nanoscale phenomena. Nanolithography through the nano-aperture of the pulled pipette facilitated on the QTF-AFM sensor head was presented OM images.…”

Position-resolved Surface Characterization and Nanofabrication Using an OpticalMicroscopeCombined with a Nanopipette/Quartz Tuning Fork Atomic Force Microscope

“…The experimental procedure consisted of 3 steps: i) approaching with the application of an E field, ii) liquid ejection, and iii) drawing or retraction. After the tip approaches the surface, capillaryassisted nanoscale liquid ejection and nanofabrication are performed with a distance controllable QTF-AFM system (< 10 nm) under the application of an E field [29]. The presence of liquid ejection is confirmed by the sudden change in QTF sensor signals (amplitude and phase) and in situ captured OM images.…”

Effect of concentration gradient on ionic current rectification in polyethyleneimine modified glass nano-pipettes

“…For example, the glass pipettes were used to obtain the ionic currents flowing through a cell's plasma membrane in the patch clamp technique23. The low volume liquid delivery induced by electric field was realized and used for nano-fluidics and nano-lithography, which were essential for applications to controlled delivery and selective deposition4567. Pipettes could be also used as probes in scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) and scanning ion conductance microscopy (SICM) for high resolution imaging8910.…”