Because microcontact printing (µCP) allows the fabrication of disposable electronic devices with minimum cost, this technique has proven useful in the patterned functionalization of certain chemicals onto surfaces. In time, µCP should allow for the fabrication of sub-10-nanometer structures and may become a commercially viable technique for manufacturing integrated circuits and other nanodevices. While there are many benefits to µCP, the technique has limitations that are difficult to overcome. In the current study, a technique was created to deposit gold and silver onto a patterned polydimethylsiloxan (PDMS) stamp using electroless deposition. The ink on the stamp was then transferred onto silicon and analyzed using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and nanoindentation to verify the pattern and compare the surface characteristics of patterned gold and silver to silicon. In the near future, this research will be used to deliver stretched coated DNA onto the surface and subsequently to deliver precursor metal ions to the surface for electroless deposition. After deposition of the precursor salts, the metals will be developed generating contact pads on top of the coated DNA to be used for further characterization.

If you reference this work in a publication, please cite as follows:

• Nipple, Jamie (2007), "Direct Microcontact Printing of Gold and Silver on Silicon," http://www.nanohub.org/resources/3015/.

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1. nanoelectronics
2. SURI
3. undergraduate research