We design and fabricate tuneable, vertically configured silicon/polymeric nanostructures – in particular, vertically aligned nanowire, and nanotube arrays – to orchestrate cellular processes such as intracellular delivery.  The development of VA-SiNWs/NTs arrays with highly controllable geometrical characteristics including shape, diameter, height and density is now playing an increasing role for their successful integration in controlling and manipulating biological living systems.

Controllable patterning is created by using various lithography methods, including photolithography, electron-beam lithography, nanoimprint lithography, and colloidal/nanosphere lithography – all of which are used to create customized lithographical masks onto the surface of the substrate for the subsequent dry/wet etching of silicon.