Lots of writing on the wall: A simple and flexible approach for performing high‐throughput, large‐area, direct‐write molecular patterning, without tip feedback, is demonstrated by using a 55 000‐pen two‐dimensional array of atomic force microscope (AFM) cantilevers. The use of low‐aspect‐ratio pyramidal tips, curved cantilevers, and a novel gravity‐driven alignment method allows parallel patterning of molecules across 1‐cm2 substrate areas at sub‐100‐nm resolution.

Molecular patterning processes taking place in biological systems are challenging to study in vivo because of their dynamic behavior, subcellular size, and high degree of complexity. In vitro patterning of biomolecules using nanolithography allows simplification of the processes and detailed study of the dynamic interactions. Parallel dip-pen nanolithography (DPN) is uniquely capable of integrating functional biomolecules on subcellular length scales due to its constructive nature, high resolution, and high throughput. Phospholipids are particularly well suited as inks for DPN since a variety of different functional lipids can be readily patterned in parallel. Here DPN is used to spatially pattern multicomponent micro- and nanostructured supported lipid membranes and multilayers that are fluid and contain various amounts of biotin and/or nitrilotriacetic acid functional groups. The patterns are characterized by fluorescence microscopy and photoemission electron microscopy. Selective adsorption of functionalized or recombinant proteins based on streptavidin or histidine-tag coupling enables the semisynthetic fabrication of model peripheral membrane bound proteins. The biomimetic membrane patterns formed in this way are then used as substrates for cell culture, as demonstrated by the selective adhesion and activation of T-cells.

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Schreibstube plus: Einfach und flexibel präsentiert sich eine zweidimensionale Anordnung von 55 000 Rasterkraftmikroskop(AFM)‐Federarmen als „Stifte“ bei der Hochdurchsatzbemusterung großer Flächen durch direktes Aufbringen von Molekülen. Dank pyramidaler Spitzen mit niedrigem Seitenverhältnis, gebogener Federarme und einer neuartigen Ausrichtungsmethode unter Nutzung der Schwerkraft können 1 cm2 große Molekülmuster mit einer Auflösung unter 100 nm erzeugt werden.

Si nanostructures: A new method for fabricating large‐area Si nanostructures in a high‐throughput fashion has been demonstrated. The procedure is based upon dip‐pen nanolithography in combination with wet‐chemical etching and reactive ion etching. Multipen techniques have been demonstrated for the fabrication of large‐area Si nanostructure arrays (see AFM image; dot 1: diameter/height=1460/140 nm; dot 9: diameter/height=385/75 nm).