Article Synopsis
- Micro/nanofabrication techniques are essential for advancements in photonics and electronics, but traditional methods don't work well with living organisms due to various constraints.
- Researchers introduced ice lithography, which allows the creation of micro/nanoscale patterns directly on tardigrades without causing damage, even allowing them to fully revive after rehydration while retaining the designs.
- This innovative method opens up new possibilities in fields like cryopreservation, biomedicine, and astrobiology, while potentially revolutionizing biosensing, biomimetics, and living microrobotics.
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Article Abstract
Micro/nanofabrication techniques have revolutionized modern photonics and electronics. However, conventional methods remain incompatible with living organisms due to inherent constraints including nonconformal coating, radiation damage, and toxic solvent requirements. Here, we present ice lithography for direct fabrication of micro/nanoscale patterns on the surfaces of tardigrades in their cryptobiotic state. Remarkably, upon rehydration the tardigrades revive, retaining the patterns on their surfaces. By precisely controlling parameters such as ice thickness, beam energy, and substrate properties, this method minimizes sample damage while achieving patterns as small as 72 nm. These patterns remain stable even after stretching, solvent immersion, rinsing, and drying. This approach provides new insights into tardigrades' resilience and has potential applications in cryopreservation, biomedicine, and astrobiology. Furthermore, integrating micro/nanofabrication techniques with living organisms could catalyze advancements in biosensing, biomimetics, and living microrobotics.
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| http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acs.nanolett.5c00378 | DOI Listing |
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