Abstract: The invention provides methods of nanolithography and products therefor and produced thereby. In particular, the invention provides a nanolithographic method referred to as high force nanografting (HFN). HFN utilizes a tip (e.g., a scanning probe microscope (SPM) tip such as an atomic force microscope (AFM) tip) to pattern a substrate passivated with a resist. In the presence of a patterning compound, the tip is used to apply a high force to the substrate to remove molecules of the resist from the substrate, whereupon molecules of the patterning compound are able to attach to the substrate the form the desired pattern.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of direct-write lithographic printing of proteins and peptides onto surfaces. In particular, the present invention relates to methods for creating protein and peptide arrays and compositions derived therefrom. Nanoscopic tips can be used to deposit the peptide or protein onto the surface to produce a pattern. The pattern can be dots or lines having dot diameter and line width of less than 1,000 nm. The tips and the substrate surfaces can be adapted for the peptide and protein lithography.

Abstract: In one aspect, a method of nanolithography is provided, the method comprising providing a substrate; providing a scanning probe microscope tip; coating the tip with a deposition compound; and subjecting said coated tip to a driving force to deliver said deposition compound to said substrate so as to produce a desired pattern. Another aspect of the invention provides a tip for use in nanolithography having an internal cavity and an aperture restricting movement of a deposition compound from the tip to the substrate. The rate and extent of movement of the deposition compound through the aperture is controlled by a driving force.

Abstract: A method of making a nanoclusters functionalized with a single DNA strand comprising the steps of providing nanoclusters, combining said nanoclusters with thiolated DNA, incubating said nanoclusters and thiolated DNA mixture, combining said mixture with a solution comprising ethanol and dichloromethane; separating said mixture into an aqueous phase and an organic phase, mixing said aqueous phase with a solution comprising dicholormethane and NaCl, and separating the mixture into an aqueous phase and an organic phase; wherein said organic phase comprises said nanoclusters functionalized with a single DNA strand. Further, provided is a nanocluster functionalized with a single DNA strand comprising a nanocluster, said nanocluster being functionalized with a single DNA strand, said DNA strand having a length of about 10 to about 50 bases.

Abstract: The invention provides a lithographic method referred to as “dip pen” nanolithography (DPN), which utilizes a scanning probe microscope (SPM) tip (e.g., an atomic force microscope (AFM) tip) as a “pen,” a solid-state substrate (e.g., gold) as “paper,” and molecules with a chemical affinity for the solid-state substrate as “ink.” Capillary transport of molecules from the SPM tip to the solid-state substrate is used in DPN to directly write patterns consisting of a relatively small collection of molecules in submicrometer dimensions, making DPN useful in the fabrication of a variety of microscale and nanoscale devices. The invention also provides substrates patterned by DPN, including submicrometer combinatorial arrays, and kits, devices and software for performing DPN. The invention further provides a method of performing AFM imaging in air.