Hendrik Hölscher

3D Direct Laser Writing of Nano‐ and Microstructured Hierarchical Gecko‐Mimicking Surfaces

Applying 3D direct laser writing, artificial hierarchical gecko-type structures are designed and fabricated down to nanometer dimensions. In this way, the elastic modulus and the length scale of the geckos setae are very closely matched. Direct laser writing is a very flexible rapid prototyping method allowing the fabrication of arbitrary nanostructures. Since the parameters of the structures can be easily changed, this technique is perfect for design studies of dry adhesives. Measuring the adhesional forces by atomic force microscopy, the influence of several design parameters like density, aspect ratio, and tip-shape on dry adhesion performance are systematically examined. In this way, it is revealed that hierarchy is favorable for artificial gecko-inspired dry adhesives made of stiff materials on the nanometer scale.

Temperature dependence of point contact friction on silicon

Point contact friction and adhesion between a silicon tip and an untreated silicon(111) wafer are measured as a function of sample temperature in ultrahigh vacuum by friction force microscopy. While the friction coefficient changes drastically in the temperature range from 50K to room temperature, and shows a reproducible maximum near 100K, the simultaneously recorded adhesion shows much less temperature dependence. Interestingly, the velocity dependence of friction shows a logarithmic increase below 150K although it is nearly constant above 150K. This peculiar behavior has profound consequences for tribological properties of devices manufactured from silicon.

The role of random nanostructures for the omnidirectional anti-reflection properties of the glasswing butterfly

The glasswing butterfly (Greta oto) has, as its name suggests, transparent wings with remarkable low haze and reflectance over the whole visible spectral range even for large view angles of 80°. This omnidirectional anti-reflection behaviour is caused by small nanopillars covering the transparent regions of its wings. In difference to other anti-reflection coatings found in nature, these pillars are irregularly arranged and feature a random height and width distribution. Here we simulate the optical properties with the effective medium theory and transfer matrix method and show that the random height distribution of pillars significantly reduces the reflection not only for normal incidence but also for high view angles.

Staying sticky: contact self-cleaning of gecko-inspired adhesives.

The exceptionally adhesive foot of the gecko remains clean in dirty environments by shedding contaminants with each step. Synthetic gecko-inspired adhesives have achieved similar attachment strengths to the gecko on smooth surfaces, but the process of contact self-cleaning has yet to be effectively demonstrated. Here, we present the first gecko-inspired adhesive that has matched both the attachment strength and the contact self-cleaning performance of the geckos foot on a smooth surface. Contact self-cleaning experiments were performed with three different sizes of mushroom-shaped elastomer microfibres and five different sizes of spherical silica contaminants. Using a load–drag–unload dry contact cleaning process similar to the loads acting on the gecko foot during locomotion, our fully contaminated synthetic gecko adhesives could recover lost adhesion at a rate comparable to that of the gecko. We observed that the relative size of contaminants to the characteristic size of the microfibres in the synthetic adhesive strongly determined how and to what degree the adhesive recovered from contamination. Our approximate model and experimental results show that the dominant mechanism of contact self-cleaning is particle rolling during the drag process. Embedding of particles between adjacent fibres was observed for particles with diameter smaller than the fibre tips, and further studied as a temporary cleaning mechanism. By incorporating contact self-cleaning capabilities, real-world applications of synthetic gecko adhesives, such as reusable tapes, clothing closures and medical adhesives, would become feasible.

Bioinspired air-retaining nanofur for drag reduction.

Bioinspired nanofur, covered by a dense layer of randomly distributed high aspect ratio nano- and microhairs, possesses superhydrophobic and air-retaining properties. Nanofur is fabricated using a highly scalable hot pulling method in which softened polymer is elongated with a heated sandblasted plate. Here we investigate the stability of the underwater air layer retained by the irregular nanofur topography by applying hydraulic pressure to the nanofur kept underwater, and evaluate the gradual changes in the air-covered area. Furthermore, the drag reduction resulting from the nanofur air retention is characterized by measuring the pressure drop across channels with and without nanofur.

Numerical analysis of dynamic force spectroscopy using the torsional harmonic cantilever

A spectral analysis method has been recently introduced by Stark et al (2002 Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 99 8473-8) and implemented by Sahin et al (2007 Nat. Nanotechnol. 2 507-14) using a T-shaped cantilever design, the torsional harmonic cantilever (THC), which is capable of performing simultaneous tapping-mode atomic force microscopy imaging and force spectroscopy. Here we report on numerical simulations of the THC system using a simple dual-mass flexural-torsional model, which is applied in combination with Fourier data processing software to illustrate the spectroscopy process for quality factors corresponding to liquid, air and vacuum environments. We also illustrate the acquisition of enhanced topographical images and deformed surface contours under the application of uniform forces, and compare the results to those obtained with a previously reported linear dual-spring-mass model.

Wood-based microhaired superhydrophobic and underwater superoleophobic surfaces for oil/water separation

Wood-based superhydrophobic and underwater superoleophobic surfaces are fabricated using a scalable replication technique. Lignin-based polymer is microstructured with a heated mold, resulting in a superhydrophobic/superoleophilic surface covered with microhairs. The microhaired surface is used to clean crude oil spills and to separate oil/water mixtures by absorbing oil. After treating the microhaired surface with argon plasma it acquires underwater superoleophobic property necessary for removing water from the oil/water mixtures.

The effective quality factor at low temperatures in dynamic force microscopes with Fabry–Pérot interferometer detection

The oscillation of a cantilever in ultrahigh vacuum dynamic force microscopy is sometimes measured with the help of a Fabry–Perot interferometer. We show that the photoinduced forces present in such an interferometer can artificially increase or decrease the effective quality factor of the cantilever. We examine this effect on the basis of a PtIr-coated rectangular silicon cantilever at temperatures between 7.7 and 30 K. By measuring resonance curves we demonstrate that the magnitude of the effective quality factor changes with cantilever-fiber distance, laser power, and temperature.

Fabrication of hierarchical photonic nanostructures inspired by Morpho butterflies utilizing laser interference lithography

We introduce laser interference lithography (LIL) as a tool to fabricate hierarchical photonic nanostructures inspired by blue Morpho butterflies. For that, we utilize the interference pattern in vertical direction in addition to the conventional horizontal one. The vertical interference creates the lamellae by exploiting the back reflection from the substrate. The horizontal interference patterns the ridges of the hierarchical Christmas tree like structure. The artificial Morpho replica produced with this technique feature a brilliant blue iridescence up to an incident angle of 40°.

Probing the Magnetic Exchange Forces of Iron on the Atomic Scale

Applying magnetic exchange force microscopy with an Fe-coated tip, we experimentally resolve the atomic-scale antiferromagnetic structure of the Fe monolayer on W(001). On the basis of first-principles calculations, using an Fe nanocluster as a tip, we determine the distance dependence of the magnetic exchange forces. Significant relaxation of tip and sample atoms occurs, which depend sensitively on the local magnetic configuration. This shifts the onset of magnetic interactions toward larger separations and facilitates their observation. Implementing a multiatom tip in the calculations and accounting for relaxation effects are crucial to obtain the correct sign and distance dependence of the magnetic exchange interaction. By comparison with our calculations, we show that the experimentally observed contrast is due to a competition between chemical and magnetic forces.