Scanning probe nanolithography and protein patterning of low-fouling plasma polymer multilayer films

Functional protein patterns with lateral dimensions of less than 300 nm (see figure; scale bar is 20 mu m) are obtained from scanning probe nanolithography (SPN) on low-fouling plasma polymer multilayer thin films. The advantage of this technique over conventional SPN techniques is that the molecule or protein to be coupled to the patterned surface does not have to be present during the lithography process.