METHOD FOR OBTAINING A NANO CAPSULE STRUCTURE

• US 20150167146A1
• Filed: 06/13/2013
• Published: 06/18/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Centre National De La Recherche Scientifique, Universite De Lorraine (Government of France)
• Original Assignee: Centre National De La Recherche Scientifique, Universite De Lorraine (Government of France)
• Inventors: McMurtry, Stefan, Elmazria, Omar
• Granted Patent: US 10,351,945 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 9/5192 Processes
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 13/043 Drying and spraying
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 65/42 Applications of coated or impregnated materials
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/042 using masks
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 28/00 Coating for obtaining at least two superposed coatings either by methods not provided for in a single one of groups C23C2/00 - C23C26/00 or by combinations of methods provided for in subclasses C23C and C25C or C25D

Abstract

The method for obtaining a nano-capsule structure includes at least one layer of resin deposited on a layer of substrate. The capsule nanometric in size is capable of enabling the encapsulation of a compound. The layer of resin is structured, by low voltage electron lithography, or by optical lithography or by nanoimprinting in such a way as to obtain at least one cavity in the thickness of the layer of resin. The cavity has a depth smaller than the thickness of the layer of resin. At least one layer of an encapsulating material is isotropically deposited by sputtering the material under vacuum. The cavity is sealed with a sealing material. The layer of resin is dissolved by soaking in a suitable solvent.

Claims

1. A method for obtaining at least one nano-capsule structure, wherein at least one capsule is nanometric in size and encapsulates a compound, said method comprising the following steps:

depositing at least one layer of resin on a layer of substrate;

structuring said layer of resin by one of a group consisting of;

low-voltage electron lithography, optical lithography and nanoimprinting;

forming at least one cavity in a thickness of said layer of resin, the cavity having a depth smaller than said thickness of said layer of resin;

sputtering an encapsulating material under vacuum so as to form an isotropic deposition of at least one layer of act said encapsulating material;

sealing the cavity with a sealing material; and

dissolving said layer of resin by soaking into a suitable solvent.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

filling the cavity with a compound, after the step of sputtering the encapsulating material said compound being one of a group consisting of;

liquid, solid, gas, and vacuum.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the structuring of the layer of resin is by low-voltage electron lithography between 1 and 15 kV.

4. A method according to claim 3, further comprising the step of:

performing an iterative approach test, before the step of structuring of the layer of resin, so as to determine an electron dose to be sent to the layer of resin and avoid a piercing of the layer of resin down to the layer of substrate.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the layer of resin has a thickness between 300 nm and 2 μ

m, the layer of resin being deposited by spin coating on the layer of substrate, and wherein the cavity in the thickness of the layer of resin has a depth between 20 nm and 1 μ

m, said depth being smaller than said thicknesses of the layer of resin.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of sputtering an encapsulating material is carried out at a power between 80 and 120 Watts.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein temperature is controlled between 15°

C. and 30°

C.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein at least one layer of encapsulating material is sprayed, the least one layer having a thickness between 10 and 200 nm.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein said resin is one of a group consisting of polymethyl methacrylate, polymethyl methacrylate methacrylic acid, and a mixture of polymethyl methacrylate and polymethyl methacrylate methacrylic acid.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein the substrate is a material selected from a group consisting of silicon, zinc oxide, aluminum nitride, oxide silicon, aluminum oxide, polymers, and plastic materials.

11. A method according to claim 1, wherein said encapsulating material is selected from a group consisting of metallic materials, semiconductor materials, piezoelectric materials and insulating materials.

12. A method according to claim 1, wherein said sealing material is selected from a group consisting of:

polymers, metals, epoxy resins and biocompatible resins, said sealing material withstanding the solvent in the step of dissolving the layer of resin.

13. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

transferring, prior to the step of dissolving the layer of resin onto a second substrate by applying an adhesive resin onto a surface of the sealing material, then by depositing a second substrate on said adhesive resin.

14. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

transferring, prior to the step of dissolving the layer of resin onto a second substrate by depositing said second substrate on a surface of the sealing material so as to form an adhesive resin for the transfer onto a second substrate.

15. A method according to claim 13, further comprising the step of:

sputtering under vacuum, following the step of transferring onto the second substrate, at least a second layer selected from a group consisting of a metallic, semiconductor, piezoelectric, and insulating material, on the layer of encapsulating material.

16. A method according to claim 1, following the step of sealing the cavity, the method further comprising the steps of:

structuring the layer of sealing material, through alignment with first structuring of the layer of resin, by one of a group consisting of;

electron lithography, optical lithography, and nanoimprinting, so as to remove the sealing material, except at a level of the nano-capsule to remain sealed;

removing the layer of encapsulating material by one of a group consisting of;

chemical etching, soaking, reactive ion etching, and ion beam etching;

after the step of dissolving the layer of resin, releasing said nano-capsule in solution.

17. A nano-capsule structure formed according to the method of claim 1, comprising:

at least one capsule being nanometric in size encapsulating a compound, forming a container of a given depth, and having an opening sealed by a seal formed by the sealing material, the container comprising a cover having at least one layer of an encapsulating material, the encapsulating material having a thickness in a ratio depth over thickness higher than 2.

18. (canceled)

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