Submicrometre-scale fabrication of polycarbonate surface using a scanning micropipette probe microscope

This paper describes a novel technique of local surface fabrication using a scanning probe microscope with a thermally pulled micropipette probe. Submicrometre-scale fabrication of the polycarbonate surface could be realized when the polycarbonate surface and the micropipette probe filled with organic solvent (1,4-dioxane) are nearly in contact. The height and width of the fabricated dot structures could be controlled by adjusting the distance between the probe edge and the surface. It was switchable between the fabrication mode and the observation mode by shear-force control of the probe–surface distance. Dot array and line fabrication were successfully performed.