ABSTRACT
Biomedical applications of stimuli-responsive surfaces have attracted much interest in the mid-1980s, particularly from the pioneer work developed by the A. S. Hoffman group. In this context, bio-interfaces with stimuli-responsive/switchable bio-affinity have received considerable attention during the past 15 years and their use has been demonstrated in cell culture, drug delivery, and tissue engineering. Gold nanoparticle arrays were fabricated by electron beam lithography. The starting material is a flat substrate that is conducting to prevent charging. For optical applications, indium tin oxide covered glass plates are widely used. The substrate is spin coated with an electron sensitive resist, typically 90 nm thick. Resists such as polymethylmethacrylate consist of macromolecules that are modified upon exposure to high-energy electrons, resulting in a modification of the solubility. The polymerization solution was prepared by adding a solution of an organometallic catalyst to a solution of N-Isopropylacrylamide monomer.
