Method of applying an elongated molecule to a surface

• US 20080003613A1
• Filed: 06/30/2006
• Published: 01/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Enterprise Science Fund, LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Searete LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Hyde, Roderick, Wood, Lowell
• Granted Patent: US 7,595,150 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 435/7.1
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 19/0046 Sequential or parallel reactions, e.g. for the synthesis of polypeptides or polynucleotides; Apparatus and devices for combinatorial chemistry or for making molecular arrays synthesis methods per se C40B50/00
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/0038 Drawing
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00382 Stamping
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00529 DNA chips
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00596 Solid-phase processes
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00608 DNA chips
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00617 by chemical means
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00621 by physical means, e.g. trenches, raised areas
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00648 by the use of solid beads
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00659 Two-dimensional arrays
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00722 Nucleotides
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00725 Peptides
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00727 Glycopeptides
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00734 Lipids
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00756 Compositions, e.g. coatings, crystals, formulations
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502761 specially adapted for handling suspended solids or molecules independently from the bulk fluid flow, e.g. for trapping or sorting beads, for physically stretching molecules investigating characteristics of particles G01N15/00
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 10/00 Nanotechnology for information processing, storage or transmission, e.g. quantum computing or single electron logic
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 5/00 Nanobiotechnology or nanomedicine, e.g. protein engineering or drug delivery
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 1/6837 using probe arrays or probe chips C12Q1/6874 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 1/6841 : In situ hybridisation
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 2565/629 : being a microfluidic device
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 71/191 : characterised by provisions for the orientation or alignment of the layer to be deposited
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/761 : Biomolecules or bio-macromolecules, e.g. proteins, chlorophyl, lipids or enzymes

Abstract

Elongated molecules are stretched across a substrate by controlled fluid flow.

Claims

1. A method of applying an elongated molecule to a surface, comprising:

applying a solution containing the elongated molecule to a first substrate;

applying a cover surface to the deposition fluid; and

controllably flowing a deposition fluid over the first substrate in a manner that promotes stretching of the elongated molecule along the first substrate,

wherein controllably flowing comprises sliding the cover surface relative to the first substrate to induce fluid flow in the deposition fluid.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the elongated molecule is selected from the group consisting of polymers, nanotubes, proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, nucleic acids, and functionalized forms of any of the above.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first substrate has at least one defined physical feature, and wherein controllably flowing promotes stretching of the elongated molecule from the defined physical feature along the first substrate.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the first substrate has a plurality of defined physical features, and wherein controllably flowing promotes stretching of a plurality of elongated molecules from at least a subset of the plurality of defined physical features along the first substrate.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the defined physical features are arranged in a repeating array.

29. The method of claim 1, further comprising applying a conductive material to the stretched elongated molecule to form a nanowire.

35. The method of claim 1, wherein the deposition fluid is the solution containing the elongated molecule.

36. The method of claim 1, wherein the first substrate comprises surface features that spatially direct fluid flow.

37. The method of claim 1, wherein the surface features that spatially direct fluid flow comprise a plurality of micro-orifices, and wherein controllably flowing comprises flowing a fluid through at least a subset of the micro-orifices.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the fluid that flows through the at least a subset of the micro-orifices is the solution containing the elongated molecule.

39. The method of claim 37, wherein the fluid that flows through the at least a subset of the micro-orifices is the deposition fluid.

40. The method of claim 37, wherein the fluid that flows through the at least a subset of the micro-orifices is a gas.

41. The method of claim 1, wherein the surface features that spatially direct fluid flow comprise a plurality of switchable channels, and wherein controllably flowing comprises switching at least a subset of the switchable channels.

42. The method of claim 1, wherein controllably flowing comprises inducing vorticity in the deposition fluid.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein the fluid flow promotes deposition of the elongated molecule in a curve along the first substrate.

44. The method of claim 1, wherein controllably flowing comprises directing fluid flow by applying a varying surface tension along the first substrate.

47. The method of claim 1, wherein controllably flowing comprises directing fluid flow by applying an electromagnetic field to the deposition fluid.

48. The method of claim 47, wherein the electromagnetic field is a pure electric field.

49. The method of claim 47, wherein the electromagnetic field is a pure magnetic field.

50. The method of claim 47, wherein the electromagnetic field is a plasmon.

51. The method of claim 47, wherein the electromagnetic field is a static field.

52. The method of claim 47, wherein the electromagnetic field is a dynamic field.

53. The method of claim 47, wherein the electromagnetic field is spatially patterned.

54. The method of claim 1, wherein controllably flowing comprises directing fluid flow by controlling hydrophilicity of the first substrate.

55. The method of claim 54, wherein controlling hydrophilicity of the first substrate comprises dynamically changing the hydrophilicity of the first substrate.

58. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the cover surface and the first substrate comprises features that spatially direct the fluid flow.

59. The method of claim 58, wherein the features that spatially direct fluid flow include a plurality of micro-orifices, and wherein controllably flowing comprises flowing a fluid through at least a subset of the micro-orifices.

60. The method of claim 59, wherein the fluid that flows through at least a subset of the micro-orifices is the deposition fluid.

61. The method of claim 59, wherein the fluid that flows through at least a subset of the micro-orifices is the solution containing the elongated molecule.

62. The method of claim 59, wherein the fluid that flows through at least a subset of the micro-orifices is a gas.

63. The method of claim 58, wherein the features that spatially direct fluid flow include a plurality of switchable channels, and wherein controllably flowing comprises switching at least a subset of the switchable channels.

64. The method of claim 1, wherein controllably flowing comprises inducing surface charges on at least one of the cover surface and the first substrate.

65. The method of claim 64, wherein inducing surface charges comprises photoinducing surface charges.

3-9. -9. (canceled)

13. A method of applying an elongated molecule to a surface, comprising:

applying a solution containing the elongated molecule to a first substrate;

controllably flowing a deposition fluid over the first substrate in a manner that promotes stretching of the elongated molecule along the first substrate; and

transferring the stretched elongated molecule to a second substrate,

wherein controllably flowing the deposition fluid comprises flowing the deposition fluid in a configuration in which a surface of the deposition fluid maintains a substantially fixed distance from the first substrate.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein transferring the stretched elongated molecule to the second substrate comprises bringing the first substrate in proximity to the second substrate.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein bringing the first substrate in proximity to the second substrate comprising bringing the first substrate into contact with the second substrate.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising controlling a surface charge of the second substrate, wherein the surface charge acts to attract the elongated molecule to the second substrate.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising controlling a surface charge of the first substrate, wherein the surface charge acts to attract the elongated molecule to the first substrate.

19. The method of claim 13, further comprising controlling a surface charge of the first substrate, wherein the surface charge acts to repel the elongated molecule from the first substrate.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising controlling a surface charge of the second substrate, wherein the surface charge acts to attract the elongated molecule to the second substrate.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising controlling a surface charge of the second substrate, wherein the surface charge acts to repel the elongated molecule from the second substrate.

23. The method of claim 13, further comprising controlling a surface charge of the second substrate, wherein the surface charge is spatially patterned.

24. The method of claim 13, further comprising controlling a surface charge of the second substrate, wherein the surface charge is dynamic.

25. The method of claim 13, further comprising controlling a surface charge of the second substrate, wherein the surface charge is static.

26. The method of claim 13, wherein the second substrate comprises an electronic device, and wherein the transferred elongated molecule is in electrical communication with the electronic device.

27. The method of claim 13, further comprising attaching an electronic device to the transferred elongated molecule.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising applying a conductive material to the stretched elongated molecule to form a nanowire.

18. (canceled)

22. (canceled)

30-34. -34. (canceled)

45-46. -46. (canceled)

56. (canceled)

57. (canceled)

66-68. -68. (canceled)