Hybrid Thermal Probe and Laser for Direct Writing of Advanced Nano Sensors (HyProLaSens)

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For the realization of high-performance, reproducible, stable multifunctional sensors going significantly beyond the state of the art, necessary tools, and equipment for fabrication and in-situ characterization at the nanoscale are of particularly importance. Common structuring tools in the macro- and microscale range are not satisfying the needed miniaturization and do not realize a high resolution. This restricts the sensor performance in terms of sensitivity and accuracy and narrows the research capabilities and the research transfer perspectives. In addition, modifications and tweaking of the surfaces at sub nanoscale are also one of the requirements in the development of sensors with added functionalities and enhance the range of applications of the sensors. The requested device enables non-invasive nano processing and precise structuring of nano devices by thermal scanning probe lithography and laser direct writing on a multitude of materials and provides in-situ imaging capabilities. A functionalization with nanoscale resolution can be thereby realized with molecules and biomolecule conjugations with a highly localized resolution of a few nanometres. Particularly, chemical sensors can be thereby significantly miniaturized and reach a low limit of detection in the femtomolar range to fulfill the requirements of critical applications, e. g. in health care and safety applications. Highly miniaturized sensor arrays can be realized with highly sensitive sensors that can be implemented in non-invasive applications such as wearables for monitoring of sweat, interstitial fluids, and VOCs from skin perspiration wherein the concentrations of analytes are very low, and the possibility of interferences is very high. By the novel fabrication technique, sensors can be boosted to reach outstanding sensitivity and selectivity by material nano-elaboration and nano-pixelation. The high-resolution patterning of nanochannel structures makes it possible to detect single nanoobjects within nanofluidic and nano-size sensors, to realize nanogaps for nanobatteries and single-layer nanomaterialsbased FET transistors as well as high-density nano pixel sensor arrays. Further nanodevices for the photonics, micro-optics, plasmonics, and complex structures can be realized with the maskfree scanning thermal probe lithography at low-costs and high throughput with an x-y resolution in the nm range and a z-resolution in the sub-nm range. In comparison to conventional nanolithography techniques, like electron beam lithography, the novel device is suitable for rapid prototyping and precisely shaping and locating 2D/3D nanostructures. This facility significantly strengthens the research possibilities at the university within the topical focus on “materials and smart systems” and provides an outstanding infrastructure. Local, national and international cooperation can be boosted to initiate novel research and exchange projects.