Constructive lithography for biomimetic surfaces

Scanning-probe technologies have unique potential for directly characterizing and functionalizing interfaces with biological materials at ultrahigh resolution because of their ability to function in humid air and aqueous environments. Massively parallel tip array systems with several tens of thousands of tips are available allowing to deposited surface areas with nanostructures as large as several cm² per minute.

Using this technique biomimetic systems can be written, which may vary chemically from spot to spot. Systems such as sensor arrays which undergo structural changes after specific molecular adsorption, allergen arrays as well as artificial anchor-patches for biological cells and model systems for membrane rafts can be developed. It is clear that these opportunities require the intense cooperation between Physics, Chemistry and biology, and is, therefore, a valuable tool within the SoN-center, which is complemented by all other scanning probe technique, high resolution far field optics, electron Microscopy, and surface characterization methods.