Sivashankar Krishnamoorthy

Nanoscale patterning with block copolymers

The self-assembly processes of block copolymers offer interesting strategies to create patterns on nanometer length scales. The polymeric constituents, substrate surface properties, and experimental conditions all offer parameters that allow the control and optimization of pattern formation for specific applications. We review how such patterns can be obtained and discuss some potential applications using these patterns as (polymeric) nanostructures or templates, e.g. for nanoparticle assembly. The method offers interesting possibilities in combination with existing high-resolution lithography methods, and could become of particular interest in microtechnology and biosensing.

Tunable, high aspect ratio pillars on diverse substrates using copolymer micelle lithography: an interesting platform for applications

We demonstrate the use of copolymer micelle lithography using polystyrene-block-poly(2-vinylpyridine) reverse micelle thin films in their as-coated form to create nanopillars with tunable dimensions and spacing, on different substrates such as silicon, silicon oxide, silicon nitride and quartz. The promise of the approach as a versatile application oriented platform is highlighted by demonstrating its utility for creating super-hydrophobic surfaces, fabrication of nanoporous polymeric membranes, and controlling the areal density of physical vapor deposition derived titanium nitride nanostructures.

Confinement‐Induced Enhancement of Antigen–Antibody Interactions within Binary Nanopatterns to Achieve Higher Efficiency of On‐Chip Immunosensors

By combining molecular self-assembly, nanosphere lithography and reactive ion etching, large-scale nanopatterns of antibodies are fabricated for direct application in state-of-the-art on-chip immunosensors. Using in-situ surface plasmon resonance, the patterns are studied in view of their antigen binding capacity, which shows an increase of up to 120% solely in the case of antibody confinement into the nanopatches by means of a nonfouling embedding matrix.