Dip-pen nanolithography-based methodology for preparing arrays of nanostructures functionalized with oligonucleotides

The process of using dip-pen nanolithography (DPN) to easily fabricate functionalized arrays of inorganic nanopatterns was demonstrated. These structures can be modified with alkanethiol-capped oligonucleotides, which retain their hybridization properties on the surfaces of the nanopatterns and react with complementary DNA or particles modified with complementary DNA. This type of procedures may be useful for generating hybrid soft/hard structures composed of metal nanofeatures interfaced with adsorbates that exhibit a high chemical affinity for them.