Controlled preparation of inorganic nanostructures on substrates by dip-pen nanolithography.

Controlled preparation of inorganic nanostructures on substrates is very important for various applications of functional inorganic nanomaterials. Dip-pen nanolithography (DPN), as an atomic force microscopy (AFM) based technique, can directly fabricate nanostructures with precise position and morphology control on the nanometer scale and meanwhile image the produced nanostructures in situ at high resolution. This Focus Review summarizes the challenges and progress in preparing inorganic nanostructures with DPN. The ink and reaction design, morphology and structure control, high-speed lithography, and the application of DPN-generated nanopatterns are all involved. The evolution and development of this technique, its superiorities, and unique properties are also discussed.