Oligo(ethylene glycol)-terminated monolayers on silicon surfaces and their nanopatterning with a conductive atomic force microscope

Functionalization of silicon substrate surfaces with a stable monolayer for resisting non-specific adsorption of proteins has attracted great interest, since it is directly relevant to the development of miniature, silicon-based biosensors and implantable microdevices, such as silicon-neuron interfaces. This brief review summarizes our contribution to the development of robust monolayers grown by surface hydrosilylation on atomically flat, hydrogen-terminated silicon surfaces. The review also outlines our strategy and progress on the fabrication of single molecule patterns on such monolayer platforms.