3D polymer nanostructures fabrication by AFM tip-based single scanning with a harder cantilever

A cantilever with a larger elastic spring constant (the applied force is at the micro Newton scale) is employed to perform a single scanning test on the polycarbonate (PC) surface in contact mode of Atomic Force Microscope (AFM). This method is used as a novel nanomachining technique for the formation of three-dimensional (3D) polymer bundle structures similar to conventional sinusoidal structures. Effects of machining parameters such as the feed and the normal load on bundles formation, the period and the height of bundle structures are analyzed. Furthermore, influence of the tip geometry on microstructures formation is also studied.