Micro and nano structures in an elastomeric material

• US 8,017,218 B2
• Filed: 03/08/2006
• Issued: 09/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Forskarpatent I Linkoping AB
• Original Assignee: Forskarpatent I Linkoping AB
• Inventors: Hamedi, Mahiar, Tvingstedt, Kristofer, Inganas, Olle, Asberg, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Loney; Donald J
• Application Number:
  US11/908,763
• Publication Number:
  US 20090053471A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,015 Days
• Field of Search: 428/156, 430/296, 430/320, 430/322, 264/405, 264/485, 264/488, 264/494, 101/3.1, 101/32, 435/305.2, 436/180, 137/833
• US Class Current: 428/156
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/12 Specific details about manufacturing devices
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0816 Cards, e.g. flat sample carriers usually with flow in two horizontal directions
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0896 Nanoscaled
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/123 Flexible; Elastomeric
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/5027 by integrated microfluidic structures, i.e. dimensions of channels and chambers are such that surface tension forces are important, e.g. lab-on-a-chip B01L3/5023 takes precedence; micromixers B01F33/30; microreactors for synthesis B01J19/0093; microcapillary devices in general B81B1/00
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502707 characterised by the manufacture of the container or its components by shaping or joining plastic parts B29C59/00, B29C65/00; by laminating B32B37/00; manufacture of microstructural devices in general B81C
• 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 40/00 Manufacture or treatment of nanostructures
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/0002 Lithographic processes using patterning methods other than those involving the exposure to radiation, e.g. by stamping
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/0017 for the production of embossing, cutting or similar devices; for the production of casting means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/2224 Structure of body of device
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24479 including variation in thickness
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/2575 Volumetric liquid transfer

Abstract

The invention relates to an elastomeric device (105), wherein the elastomeric device contains a relief structure with indentations with respect to the base (110), (102) and wherein selected ones of said indentations comprise at least two indentation depths (112), (108) and indentation widths (101), (107). It also relates to a method of making a master for construction of said elastomeric device comprising a procedure to provide a pattern on a substrate of a suitable material. One step in. the construction of said elastomeric device comprises a molding procedure of an elastomer. Methods of using the elastomeric device in printing, fluidic control, sorting, lab-on-a-chip devices are also disclosed.

Claims

1. An elastomeric device comprising a body of an elastomeric material, said body having at least one, flat or curved, surface provided with at least one nanoscale indentation extending into said at least one surface and at least one microscale indentation extending into said at least one surface, wherein

each indentation extends a depth from a base line being a line where said surface intersects said indentation and wherein each indentation has at the base line a width,

an aspect ratio a for each indentation is defined as the depth of that indentation divided by the width of that indentation;

a_low is the aspect ratio where sagging of an indentation occurs for the elastomeric material,

a_high is the aspect ratio where collapse of an indentation occurs for the elastomeric material,

the nanoscale indentation has a first depth and a first width defining a first aspect ratio, the first width being less than 1 micrometer, the first aspect ratio being between a_low and a_high, and

the microscale indentation has a second depth and a second width defining a second aspect ratio, the second depth being different than the first depth, the second width being greater than 1 micrometer, the second aspect ratio being between a_low and a_high.

2. The elastomeric device according to claim 1, wherein the nanoscale indentation and the microscale indentation are connected.

3. The elastomeric device according to claim 1, wherein the nanoscale indentation and the microscale indentation are separated from one another.

4. A method of manufacturing an elastomeric device, the method comprising:

selecting a curable elastomeric compound;

determining an aspect ratio a_low and an aspect ratio a_high for the elastomeric compound when cured, a_low being the ratio of depth to width of an indentation where sagging occurs for the elastomeric material when cured, a_high being the ratio of depth to width where collapse of an indentation occurs for the elastomeric material when cured;

forming a template including at least one nanoscale protrusion and at least one microscale protrusion, the nanoscale protrusion having a first height and a first width and defining a first aspect ratio, the first width being less than 1 micrometer, the first aspect ratio being between a_low and a_high, the microscale protrusion having a second height and a second width and defining a second aspect ratio, the second height being different than the first height, the second width being greater than 1 micrometer, the second aspect ratio being between a_low and a_high;

providing the curable elastomeric compound on the template; and

curing the elastomeric compound so as to form the elastomeric device having at least one surface with nanoscale and microscale indentations having inverse configurations relative to the nanoscale and microscale protrusions, respectively.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the nanoscale protrusion is formed in a first process and the microscale protrusion is formed in a second and separate process.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the first process is selected from the group consisting of:

electron beam lithography, DUV/EUV photolithography, ion beam patterning, soft UV-nano imprint lithography, nano imprint lithography, soft lithography, self assembly patterning, and colloidal crystal patterning.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein the second process is a photo lithographical technique.

8. The method according to claim 4, wherein forming the template comprises:

imprinting a submicrometer structure master in a curable resist,

curing said resist to form the nanoscale protrusion,

depositing on top of the nanoscale protrusion a homogeneously thick layer of the same curable resist, and

generating the microscale protrusion in said deposited curable resist through contact photo lithography patterning.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the curable resist is a thermally and/or UV curable resist.

10. The method according to claim 4, further comprising:

providing a substrate having a face for receiving said elastomeric device, wherein said at least one surface with nanoscale and microscale indentations is brought into conformal contact with said face of the substrate.

11. The method according to claim 10, further including the steps of:

arranging aligned pre-positioned structures on said face of said substrate, and

aligning at least a part of said microscale indentation with said pre-positioned structures to enable positioning of said nanoscale indentation on said substrate.

12. The method of claim 10, whereby the indentations and said face of said substrate cooperate to form channels.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein said channels are configured for use in one of:

a fluidic network, a gaseous network, or a vacuum network.