{
  "abstract": "Access to sub-micrometer electrode patterning remains limited in laboratories without lithographic or specialized mask-fabrication facilities. We present a novel, low-cost method for fabricating microdevices using nail-polish microfibers as shadow masks. A thin fiber is drawn by repeatedly touching a nail-polish droplet with a wire loop and placed directly onto the target substrate to define narrow features for metal deposition. As-drawn fibers reach diameters down to ∼2 µm and conform to both rigid and flexible surfaces. Oxygen-plasma thinning at ∼22 nm min−1 reduces fibers initially ≥4 µm in diameter to below 1 µm, enabling electrode gaps down to ∼478 nm, as confirmed by atomic force microscopy. The process requires no spin-coated photoresist, baking, or development. Using this approach, we pattern microelectrodes on SiO2/Si and polycarbonate and realize functional devices, including MoS2 field-effect transistors, MoS2 photodetectors, and a flexible device based on chemical vapor deposition-grown MoS2. The method requires no photolithography, minimizes material cost, and leverages readily available tools and consumables, providing a practical route to prototyping and education as well as laboratory microfabrication.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Key Laboratory of Wide Band-Gap Semiconductor Technology & Shaanxi Key Laboratory of High-Orbits-Electron Materials and Protection Technology for Aerospace, School of Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, Xidian University Xi'an 710071 China",
    "2D Foundry Research Group, Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Madrid, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas 28049 Madrid Spain"
  ],
  "article_type": "research article",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 6,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1
      ],
      "name": "Yong Xie",
      "orcid": "0000-0001-7904-664X"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Qianjie Lei"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Nuria Jiménez-Arévalo",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-1945-4585"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Esteban Zamora-Amo",
      "orcid": "0009-0001-7682-9187"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Thomas Pucher",
      "orcid": "0009-0005-2100-8241"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Andres Castellanos-Gomez",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-3384-3405"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/carxj0w7akmqp.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.1039/d6na00537c",
  "fulltext_url": "https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC13539493/",
  "id": "carxj0w7akmqp",
  "issns": [
    "2516-0230"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://doi.org/10.1039/d6na00537c",
  "language": "en",
  "licence": "CC-BY-NC-3.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY-NC 3.0",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "heading",
      "Chemistry"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "2208|Advancements in Photolithography Techniques"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7204115220",
  "pdf_url": null,
  "pmcid": "PMC13539493",
  "pmid": "42694454",
  "published": "2026-08-24",
  "publisher": "Royal Society of Chemistry",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/carxj0w7akmqp.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-31T12:20:58Z",
      "native_id": "PMC13539493",
      "source": "pmc",
      "url": "https://doi.org/10.1039/d6na00537c"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "chemistry",
      "origin": "heading:Chemistry",
      "subfield": "general"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Submicron microdevice patterning with plasma-thinned nail-polish microfiber shadow masks",
  "title_text": "Submicron microdevice patterning with plasma-thinned nail-polish microfiber shadow masks",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-31T12:20:58Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/carxj0w7akmqp",
  "venue": "Nanoscale Advances",
  "versions": []
}