Electropen lithography

A method for producing a nanoscale patterned surface, the method comprising:

• providing an ultrafine tip having a first group of siloxane patterning molecules provided thereon;
• providing a silicon oxide surface at least partially covered with siloxane molecules terminated with methyl, vinyl, acetylenyl, or mercapto groups, or a combination thereof;
• contacting said ultrafine tip with a selected portion of said silicon oxide surface;
• positioning said ultrafine tip to be sufficiently proximal to said silicon oxide surface in the presence of a liquid transporting medium to form a meniscus between said ultrafine tip and said silicon oxide surface;
• applying to the ultrafine tip a negative voltage capable of oxidizing said methyl, vinyl, acetylenyl, or mercapto groups to an oxidized form;
• whereby said silicon oxide surface and said ultrafine tip are at least partially electrically conductive;
• and said first group of siloxane patterning molecules are capable of being hydrolyzed by, and/or capable of reacting with, said oxidized form, thereby producing a nanoscale surface patterned with said first group of siloxane patterning molecules.

A nanoscale patterned surface produced by a method comprising:

• providing an ultrafine tip having a first group of patterning molecules provided thereon;
• providing a substrate surface having oxidizable groups accessible to said ultrafine tip;
• contacting said ultrafine tip with a selected portion of said substrate surface;
• positioning said ultrafine tip to be sufficiently proximal to said substrate surface in the presence of a liquid transporting medium to form a meniscus between said ultrafine tip and said substrate surface;
• applying to the ultrafine tip a negative voltage capable of oxidizing said oxidizable groups to an oxidized form;
• whereby said substrate surface and said ultrafine tip are at least partially electrically conductive;
• and said first group of patterning molecules are capable of being hydrolyzed by, and/or capable of reacting with, said oxidized form.

A silicon oxide nanoscale patterned surface produced by a method comprising

• providing an ultrafine tip having a first group of siloxane patterning molecules provided thereon;
• providing a silicon oxide surface at least partially covered with siloxane molecules terminated with methyl, vinyl, acetylenyl, or mercapto groups, or a combination thereof;
• contacting said ultrafine tip with a selected portion of said silicon oxide surface;
• positioning said ultrafine tip to be sufficiently proximal to said silicon oxide surface in the presence of a liquid transporting medium to form a meniscus between said ultrafine tip and said silicon oxide surface;
• applying to the ultrafine tip a negative voltage capable of oxidizing said methyl, vinyl, acetylenyl, or mercapto groups to an oxidized form;
• whereby said silicon oxide surface and said ultrafine tip are at least partially electrically conductive;
• and said first group of siloxane patterning molecules are capable of being hydrolyzed by, and/or capable of reacting with, said oxidized form.