Fabrication of Au nanodots with 60 nm diameter on ITO glass: Towards nanobiochip using nanoporous alumina mask

Au nanodots can be utilized for the fabrication of protein nanoarrays. Au nanodots were fabricated on ITO glass by the thermal evaporation method using nanoporous alumina as a shadow mask. Uniform Au nanodots with a diameter of 60 nm were formed on the ITO glass as a replica of the alumina mask. The morphology of the Au nanodots was verified by Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FE-SEM). Cysteine-modified azurins were immobilized on the Au nanodots. The topography of the proteins immobilized on the Au nanodots was investigated by atomic force microscopy (AFM) in tapping mode. These Au dot arrays can be potentially utilized as usable elements to construct nanobiochips.