Omnidirectional 3D nanoplasmonic optical antenna array via soft-matter transformation.

Inspired by the natural processes during morphogenesis, we demonstrate the transformation capability of active soft-matter to define nanoscale metal-on-polymer architectures below the resolution limit of conventional lithography. Specifically, using active polymers, we fabricate and characterize ultradense nanoplasmonic antenna arrays with sub-10 nm tip-to-tip nanogaps. In addition, the macroscale morphology can be independently manipulated into arbitrary three-dimensional geometries, demonstrated with the fabrication of an omnidirectional nanoplasmonic optical antenna array.

Optical properties of the crescent-shaped nanohole antenna.

We present the first optical study of large-area random arrays of crescent-shaped nanoholes. The crescent-shaped nanohole antennae, fabricated using wafer-scale nanosphere lithography, provide a complement to crescent-shaped nanostructures, called nanocrescents, which have been established as powerful plasmonic biosensors. With both systematic experimental and computational analysis, we characterize the optical properties of crescent-shaped nanohole antennae and demonstrate tunability of their optical response by varying all key geometric parameters.

Microfluidic self-assembly of tumor spheroids for anticancer drug discovery.

Creating multicellular tumor spheroids is critical for characterizing anticancer treatments since it may provide a better model than monolayer culture of in vivo tumors. Moreover, continuous dynamic perfusion allows the establishment of physiologically relevant drug profiles to exposed spheroids. Here we present a physiologically inspired design allowing microfluidic self-assembly of spheroids, formation of uniform spheroid arrays, and characterizations of spheroid dynamics all in one platform.

Dynamic single cell culture array.

It is important to quantify the distribution of behavior amongst a population of individual cells to reach a more complete quantitative understanding of cellular processes. Improved high-throughput analysis of single cell behavior requires uniform conditions for individual cells with controllable cell-cell interactions, including diffusible and contact elements. Uniform cell arrays for static culture of adherent cells have previously been constructed using protein micropatterning techniques but lack the ability to control diffusible secretions.