Tuning the spring constant of cantilever-free tip arrays.

Eichelsdoerfer, Daniel J; Brown, Keith A; Boya, Radha; Shim, Wooyoung; Mirkin, Chad A · Nano Lett · 2013

biomechanical · Level V

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Abstract

A method to measure and tune the spring constant of tips in a cantilever-free array by adjusting the mechanical properties of the elastomeric layer on which it is based is reported. Using this technique, large-area silicon tip arrays are fabricated with spring constants tuned ranging from 7 to 150 N/m. To illustrate the benefit of utilizing a lower spring constant array, the ability to pattern on a delicate 50 nm silicon nitride substrate is explored.