University of Michigan researchers have developed a way to chemically build nanoscale patterns on a surface. By using a computer simulation they produced patterns of wavy and straight lines, dots, boxes within boxes and mixes of dots and lines. These patterns could be the basis for producing parts to make up nanosized machines.
The patterns were made by simulating the application of monolayers, or single-molecule layers of material, to an elastic substrate. They found that different materials self-assembled into different patterns. As an example, a partial monolayer of oxygen on a monolayer of copper formed 10-nanometer strips of oxygen and bare copper. Copper and lead on copper formed ordered patterns of dots or stripes.