Method of manufacturing microneedle structures using photolithography
First Claim
1. A method for fabricating microneedles, said method comprising:
- (a) providing a substrate material;
(b) coating said substrate material with a first layer of a photoresist material;
(c) coating said first layer of photoresist material with a second layer of photoresist material;
(d) patterning said second layer of photoresist material with a plurality of microstructures by use of a photolithography procedure to form an overall patterned photoresist material comprising the first and second layers of photoresist material; and
(e) separating said overall patterned of photoresist material from said substrate material, thereby creating a microneedle structure comprised of said overall patterned photoresist material containing said plurality of microstructures.
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Abstract
A method for manufacturing microneedle structures is disclosed using soft lithography and photolithography, in which micromold structures made of a photoresist material or PDMS are created. The micromold manufacturing occurs quite quickly, using inexpensive materials and processes. Once the molds are available, using moldable materials such as polymers, microneedle arrays can be molded or embossed in relatively fast procedures. In some cases a sacrificial layer is provided between the forming micromold and its substrate layer, for ease of separation. The microneedles themselves can be solid projections, hollow “microtubes,” or shallow “microcups.” Electrodes can be formed on the microneedle arrays, including individual electrodes per hollow microtube.
166 Citations
8 Claims
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1. A method for fabricating microneedles, said method comprising:
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(a) providing a substrate material; (b) coating said substrate material with a first layer of a photoresist material; (c) coating said first layer of photoresist material with a second layer of photoresist material; (d) patterning said second layer of photoresist material with a plurality of microstructures by use of a photolithography procedure to form an overall patterned photoresist material comprising the first and second layers of photoresist material; and (e) separating said overall patterned of photoresist material from said substrate material, thereby creating a microneedle structure comprised of said overall patterned photoresist material containing said plurality of microstructures. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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Specification