Super-resolution Monitoring of React-on-demand Photo-assisted Electrochemical Printing via Microsphere Nanoscopy

Abstract

Nanoscale material surface patterning on semiconductor requires multi-scale measurements for the determination of their geometric dimensions and shapes. In this paper, we propose an in-situ,real-time super-resolution imaging technique using a simple microsphere microlens to monitor the dynamic process of photo-assisted electrochemical printing in a microfluidic chip. The microsphere microlens with diameters of 30 60 μ m were set close to a semiconductor surface to image the electrochemical printing process underneath. With the microsphere-based imaging system, both the depositing process of silver nanoparticles with 200 nm 300 nm in diameter and the growing process of silver belts were observed. Also, we experimentally observed how a typical 120° angle formed at the terminal of a silver belt through the microsphere superlens. Super-resolution monitoring ability provided by microsphere lens will shine a light on the sub-diffraction process of micro/nano fabrication.