Micro and Nano Engineering最新文献

{"title":"Micro-digital light processing of conventional and hollow Gyroid mesoscale hydrogel scaffolds for neural cell cultures","authors":"P.F.J. van Altena ,&nbsp;L. Castillo Ransanz ,&nbsp;M. Manco ,&nbsp;V.M. Heine ,&nbsp;A. Accardo","doi":"10.1016/j.mne.2025.100310","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mne.2025.100310","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Here, we report a high-resolution micro-digital light processing (μDLP) 3D printing protocol for fabricating soft hydrogel scaffolds featuring mesoscale millimetre-sized gyroid-based architectures tailored for 3D neural cell culture. The developed bioink formulation combines poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA), as the structural backbone, and gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA), to enhance biocompatibility and promote cell adhesion via arginylglycylaspartic acid (RGD) motifs. By combining lithium phenyl (2,4,6-trimethylbenzoyl) phosphinate (LAP) as photoinitiator, along with tartrazine as photoabsorber, we achieved feature sizes down to 12.4 μm with high printing fidelity, reproducibility, and mechanical stability. The mechanical properties of the resulting hydrogel structures showed a Young's modulus (YM) in the 770 kPa – 2.25 MPa range, depending on the presence of GelMA, thus very relevant for neural cells (brain YM in the kPa range), along with remarkable biocompatibility (≈80 % cell viability) and good cell adhesion (≈55 % cell coverage). Two scaffold geometries based on triply periodic minimal surface gyroids were developed: a fully porous structure for culturing dissociated neuroepithelial stem cells and a hollow variant designed to host pre-formed neural organoids. Both scaffold types enabled strong cell adhesion and organoid sprouting, thereby demonstrating their suitability for advanced 3D culture systems. The results highlight the potential of μDLP-fabricated hydrogel meso-scale architectures as a platform for neuromechanobiology studies and tissue-mimetic engineering.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37111,"journal":{"name":"Micro and Nano Engineering","volume":"28 ","pages":"Article 100310"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-08-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144781788","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Stability of masking materials for pattern transfer of lithographic masks into fused silica by atmospheric pressure plasma jet etching","authors":"Robert Heinke ,&nbsp;Lukáš Šilhan ,&nbsp;Martin Ehrhardt ,&nbsp;Pierre Lorenz ,&nbsp;Joachim Zajadacz ,&nbsp;Jens Bauer ,&nbsp;Thomas Arnold ,&nbsp;Mojmír Šerý ,&nbsp;Klaus Zimmer","doi":"10.1016/j.mne.2025.100309","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mne.2025.100309","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Masking of thin films and bulk materials is traditionally applied for the transfer of micron patterns into the functional material according to the requirements of the application. For optical purposes, lithographically produced micron patterns are transferred by plasma/ion etching, which is a traditional technology in microelectronics and other micron technologies. However, pattern transfer by atmospheric pressure plasma etching can help to save time and cost for a future sustainable production. Therefore, the pattern transfer of lithographic resist masks into fused silica using atmospheric pressure reactive plasma jets (APPJ) was studied as a new approach of micropatterning.</div><div>First the etch rates of the potential masking materials, e.g. photoresists, as well as of fused silica as substrate are studied in dependence on the APPJ etching parameters, in particular on the gas composition (O₂/CF₄) and the dwell time of the APPJ tool's footprint. Typical etch rates of the masking materials are in the range of 140 to 370 nm·s⁻¹ whereas the fused silica has a rate of 25 to 80 nm·s⁻¹. The surface morphology of masking materials changes during etching and features additional nanoscale roughness and waviness. The surface roughness of the etched masking materials and the fused silica are 2 to 5 nm rms and 1.5 nm rms for etch depths of ∼3000 nm and ∼ 600 nm, respectively. Finally, the pattern transfer by APPJ of a diffraction grating with a period of 15 μm, depth of 230 nm and a roughness below 2 nm rms into fused silica was demonstrated.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37111,"journal":{"name":"Micro and Nano Engineering","volume":"28 ","pages":"Article 100309"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-07-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144687296","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Nanofabrication of sharp conductive diamond tip probe chips and their application in reverse tip sample scanning probe microscopy","authors":"L. Wouters ,&nbsp;J. Cho ,&nbsp;S. Gim ,&nbsp;J. Yang ,&nbsp;A. Kanniainen ,&nbsp;K. Lee ,&nbsp;P. Lagrain ,&nbsp;N. Peric ,&nbsp;T. Hantschel","doi":"10.1016/j.mne.2025.100307","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mne.2025.100307","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Recently, a new scanning probe microscopy (SPM) concept called reverse tip sample scanning probe microscopy (RTS SPM) was introduced. Here, a sample is mounted at the end of a cantilever beam and scans over a tip that is integrated into an array of hundreds of SPM tips, overcoming one of the major limitations of the SPM technique, namely, the time-consuming and experiment-interrupting manual tip exchange step. However, to fully exploit this novel approach, a chip with an array of densely packed, nanometer-sharp, and durable SPM tips is essential. Therefore, we have developed a fabrication process to integrate such an array of sharp, high aspect ratio, doped diamond tips – referred to as hedgehog full diamond tip (HFDT) – into so-called probe chips, facilitating high-resolution SPM measurements and enabling rapid and seamless sample movement from one tip to another within the RTS SPM framework. An array of pyramidally shaped, doped diamond tips is fabricated through consecutive molding and diamond deposition steps. A supporting membrane is formed by metal deposition and electroplating, followed by selective underetching of the silicon substrate to release the tip array membrane and enable probe chip assembly. Finally, a self-patterned dry etching step is employed to generate multiple nanoscopic sharp tips on top of the base diamond pyramids. In this work, we present our developed and optimized probe chip technology and demonstrate its high electrical conductivity, robustness under high tip load force, and excellent spatial resolution, rendering it highly suitable for diverse electrical SPM measurement modes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37111,"journal":{"name":"Micro and Nano Engineering","volume":"28 ","pages":"Article 100307"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-06-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144534496","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Silicon selective etching by gold implantation: Feasibility and nanofabrication capabilities","authors":"E. Scattolo ,&nbsp;A. Cian ,&nbsp;J. Llobet ,&nbsp;X. Borrise Nogue ,&nbsp;S. Mondal ,&nbsp;M. Barozzi ,&nbsp;A. Bagolini ,&nbsp;M. Crivellari ,&nbsp;F. Pérez-Murano ,&nbsp;D. Giubertoni","doi":"10.1016/j.mne.2025.100308","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mne.2025.100308","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Silicon nanofabrication plays a crucial role in the development of advanced electronic, photonic, and quantum devices. Focused ion beam (FIB) milling is widely used for direct patterning at the nanoscale, but it requires high ion fluences, leading to long processing times, material redeposition, and increased contamination. In this work, we demonstrate an alternative FIB-based approach that relies on gold ion implantation at significantly lower fluences, enabling selective silicon etching while minimizing these drawbacks.</div><div>Gold ions (Au⁺) were implanted into silicon substrates with a kinetic energy of 35 keV, followed by wet etching in tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH). We identified the process window of Au fluences between 1 × 10¹⁵ and 1 × 10¹⁷ ions/cm², with secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) confirming an Au concentration threshold of 3.5 × 10²⁰ atoms/cm³ necessary to sustain etching resistance, value predicted also by Monte Carlo simulations (TRIDYN). This approach enables the fabrication of suspended silicon nanowires with a minimum width of 36 nm, a thickness of 20 nm, and lengths up to 8 μm, achieving aspect ratios exceeding 400, as well as more complex suspended structures likes nets which can be targeted for applications in nanoelectromechanical systems (NEMS) reaching nanowire width over pitch down to 2 %.</div><div>The proposed method presents a promising alternative to conventional silicon patterning, significantly reducing processing complexity while enhancing nanostructure resolution. The results provide new insights into ion-implantation-assisted etching mechanisms and expand the possibilities for silicon nanostructure fabrication.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37111,"journal":{"name":"Micro and Nano Engineering","volume":"28 ","pages":"Article 100308"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-06-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144549877","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Enhancing electrical discharge machining performance through nano H₂/O₂ bubble integration: A sustainable and optimized approach","authors":"Chia-Lung Kuo ,&nbsp;Chin-Ta Chen ,&nbsp;Chao-Ching Ho","doi":"10.1016/j.mne.2025.100306","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mne.2025.100306","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study explores the integration of nano H₂/O₂ bubble liquid into Electrical Discharge Machining (EDM) and its impact on machining efficiency, precision, and sustainability. Experimental results demonstrate that the use of nano H₂/O₂ bubbles significantly enhances discharge dispersion, improves fluid flow for chip removal, and increases overall machining energy. For SUS316, machining time was reduced by up to 25 %, and for Ti6Al4V, by up to 31 %, when using a ϕ0.3 mm electrode. Additionally, electrode consumption decreased by up to 36 %, leading to improved cost-efficiency and reduced wear. The findings highlight the potential of nano H₂/O₂ bubble liquid in boosting EDM performance, offering a practical and environmentally sustainable solution for industrial applications by optimizing machining time, electrode consumption, and overall energy efficiency.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37111,"journal":{"name":"Micro and Nano Engineering","volume":"28 ","pages":"Article 100306"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-06-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144489361","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Anisotropic reactive ion etching of 2.5 micrometer thick alpha phase tantalum films for surface micromachining","authors":"Md Shariful Islam,&nbsp;Longchang Ni,&nbsp;Maarten P. de Boer","doi":"10.1016/j.mne.2025.100305","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mne.2025.100305","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>An etch parameter study is conducted with the objective of achieving high anisotropy for tantalum (Ta) thin films of more than 1 μm in thickness. The gases explored are Argon (Ar), carbon tetrafluoride (CF₄) and oxygen. The effects of composition, flow, pressure, and power are investigated. Optical emission spectroscopy is used to interpret the etch results. While the addition of oxygen adversely affects anisotropy, it is improved with lower pressure. An Ar:CF₄ ratio of 5:1 is found to enable good etch rate and sidewall passivation. As power increases, the etch rate increases but there is no observable enhancement in anisotropy. Using a common parallel-plate RIE configuration with common low toxicity gases, a vertical sidewall is achieved for 2.5 μm thick <span><math><mo>α</mo></math></span>-Ta films with an optimum Ar to CF₄ ratio, power and pressure.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37111,"journal":{"name":"Micro and Nano Engineering","volume":"28 ","pages":"Article 100305"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-06-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144549878","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Ni-P metallization of nylon 6,6 yarns with varying twist numbers by supercritical CO2 catalyzation toward weavable devices","authors":"Kazuhiro Shibata ,&nbsp;Tomoyuki Kurioka ,&nbsp;Hikaru Kondo ,&nbsp;Nao Yoshida ,&nbsp;Wan-Ting Chiu ,&nbsp;Chun-Yi Chen ,&nbsp;Tso-Fu Mark Chang ,&nbsp;Hiromichi Kurosu ,&nbsp;Masato Sone","doi":"10.1016/j.mne.2025.100304","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mne.2025.100304","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Weavable devices are innovative fabric-based electronics created by weaving yarns with various functions into a single cloth, enabling multifunctionality beyond traditional wearable devices. Electrically conductive yarns are essential for this integration, and in practical applications, yarns are prepared with varying twist numbers. This study investigates the metallization of nylon 6,6 yarns using a supercritical CO₂-assisted Ni<img>P electroless plating method and examines the influence of twist numbers on metallization characteristics. The results show that increasing the twist number significantly decreases the electrical resistance of Ni-P/nylon 6,6 composite yarns, underscoring the critical role of yarn structure in electrical conductivity. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) analysis indicates that higher twist numbers (0 T/m to 865 T/m) improve the distribution of Pd catalysts on scCO₂-catalyzed nylon 6,6 yarns. Additionally, scanning electron microscope (SEM) observations and EDS analysis show that increasing the twist number leads to thicker and more uniform Ni<img>P coatings, thereby improving the electrical performance. Overall, this study demonstrates that optimizing twist number is key to improving the metallization quality and electrical properties of nylon 6,6 yarns for advanced weavable electronic applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37111,"journal":{"name":"Micro and Nano Engineering","volume":"28 ","pages":"Article 100304"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-06-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144322776","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Real time analysis of cancer ovarian cell growth and migration on soft surfaces","authors":"Maria Laura Coluccio ,&nbsp;Luigi Bruno ,&nbsp;Cristina Laurini ,&nbsp;Francesca Gualtieri ,&nbsp;Valentina Rocca ,&nbsp;Tahreem Arshad Butt ,&nbsp;Annamaria Cerantonio ,&nbsp;Anna Martina Battaglia ,&nbsp;Giuseppe Viglietto ,&nbsp;Carmela De Marco ,&nbsp;Francesco Gentile","doi":"10.1016/j.mne.2025.100303","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mne.2025.100303","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>It is well established that the nano-geometry and mechanical properties of a material's interface can significantly influence - and potentially enhance - cell adhesion, growth, proliferation, and migration, collectively referred to as cell behavior. At the same time, these behavioral responses are inherently dependent on the cell's own biological characteristics, including its type, age, cell cycle phase, and whether it is normal or cancerous - as well as, in the latter case, the stage of cancer. In this context, we hypothesize that these material and cellular factors may act synergistically, such that carefully engineered materials can modulate and amplify cellular responses. Specifically, such materials may function as amplifiers, accentuating the behavioral differences between distinct cell lines and thereby improving our ability to distinguish between them. Here, we used this concept to segregate OVCAR-429 ovarian cancer cells silenced for the EXT1 gene (shEXT1) from a control (SCR): i.e. cells infected with an empty lentivirus. EXT1 encodes a glycosyltransferase implicated in the synthesis of heparan sulfate proteoglycans and may play a role in cancer cell invasion and metastasis. We produced polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) substrates with low values of Young's modulus in the MPa range, and moderate values of roughness of about <span><math><mn>20</mn><mspace></mspace><mi>nm</mi></math></span>. Then, we monitored cell-behavior over time on PDMS substrates and on standard rigid microplates for comparison. Analysis of cell trajectories revealed that shEXT1 cells exhibited significantly reduced motility on PDMS surfaces compared control cells, with cell velocity and diffusivity reduced by more than twofold, whereas no significant differences were observed on standard surfaces. Our results thus indicate the potential of soft biomaterials to reveal biological differences in disease models.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37111,"journal":{"name":"Micro and Nano Engineering","volume":"28 ","pages":"Article 100303"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-06-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144312573","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Influence of DMSO/DMF ratio on the crystal growth and optical properties of Sn-based perovskite films","authors":"Hideto Tokizawa ,&nbsp;Xinwei Zhao ,&nbsp;Mariko Murayama","doi":"10.1016/j.mne.2025.100302","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mne.2025.100302","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) are promising candidates for next-generation photovoltaic technology because of their high power conversion efficiency (PCE) and low production cost. However, the presence of lead in most PSCs raises concerns about their environmental impact. Tin (Sn)-based PSCs offer a less toxic alternative, but their performance still lags behind lead (Pb)-based counterparts. This study investigates the impact of solvent composition and annealing temperature on the crystal growth and optoelectronic properties of Sn-based perovskite (MA_0.2FA_0.8SnI₃) thin films. By varying the ratio of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and <em>N</em>,<em>N</em>-dimethylformamide (DMF) in the precursor solution, we systematically controlled the crystallization process, guided by the LaMer model. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and microscopy analyses revealed that solvent ratio and annealing temperature significantly influence the crystallinity and morphology of the films. High DMSO ratios promoted larger crystal formation, while high DMF ratios induced smaller crystals. Optical characterization revealed a correlation between film morphology and band gap, with deviations from the theoretical value attributed to voids and incomplete surface coverage. Our findings demonstrate the critical role of solvent engineering in optimizing the quality of tin-based perovskite films for enhanced solar cell performance.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37111,"journal":{"name":"Micro and Nano Engineering","volume":"28 ","pages":"Article 100302"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-06-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144272353","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Energy dissipation in silicon nitride microbeam resonators with a 3D-printed polymer layer","authors":"Lucia Crocetto ,&nbsp;Tomás Manzaneque ,&nbsp;Murali Krishna Ghatkesar","doi":"10.1016/j.mne.2025.100300","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mne.2025.100300","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>We present an analysis of the main mechanisms of dissipation of resonant multilayer double-clamped microbeams in the frequency range 200 to 500 kHz. The devices consist of <span><math><mn>2</mn><mspace></mspace><mi>μm</mi></math></span> thick silicon nitride (E <span><math><mo>≈</mo></math></span> 160 GPa) beams covered with a polymer IP-Dip (E <span><math><mo>≈</mo></math></span> 4 GPa) layer fabricated by two-photon polymerization. A laser-Doppler vibrometer was used to measure the resonant vibrations and energy dissipation of the devices in high vacuum (&lt; 0.05 Pa) at room temperature. The experimental findings were compared with theoretical and finite element method (FEM) results. The quality factor, dominated by the intrinsic dissipation in the IP-Dip layer, has proven to have a strong dependence on polymer thickness. On this basis, a viscous model for intrinsic dissipation in a polymer layer was formulated.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37111,"journal":{"name":"Micro and Nano Engineering","volume":"28 ","pages":"Article 100300"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-06-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144262766","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}