1. Demolding
ENGR
Pre Lab

2. Micro/Nanotechnology Tools
One of the challenges of nanotechnology is the limitation of tools available to allow us to “see” into this microscopic world.

3. Wavelengths vs. Features Size
The wavelength of a sinusoidal wave is the spatial period of the wave— the distance over which the wave's shape repeats. The smaller the wavelength of the wave the higher the energy of the wave.
Wavelength in meters
Nanotechnology

4. Microscopes
An optical microscope that uses visible light through lenses can magnify up to 1,500 times! 
 A microscope that uses a beam of electrons instead of light can “magnify” millions of times!
Why the difference? 

5. Resolution
The resolution of an image is limited by the effects of diffraction (Bending of Light).
A good rule of thumb: an imaging system is able to resolve features to approximately half the wavelength of “wave” used
Therefore, the smaller the wavelength the higher the resolution of the microscope

6. Microscopy using non-light wavelengths
To obtain higher resolution than optical microscopes, imaging devices using other types of waves have been developed such as electron beam.

7. Scanning Electron Microscope
Focusing
An electron beam is
focused and scanned
across a specimen and then scattered electrons are detected. Those scattered
electrons carry the image information .
Resolution is ~ 5 nm
Scanning
Scattered electrons

8. Cecropia Moth

9. A close-up of the Cecropia Moth scale using a Scanning Electron Microscope – Note scale of 1 micron

10. Scanning Probe Microscopes
The family of scanning probe microscopes uses no lenses, but rather a probe that “interacts” with the sample surface.
Some examples are:
Scanning Tunneling Microscope (STM)
Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM)

11. Learning Objectives of Lab
Expose students to a lab-on-a-chip fabrication technique of demolding PDMS lid from the petridish.