# US 10,246,730 B2 · Semiconductor manufactured nano-structures for microbe or virus trapping or destruction

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- Number: US 10,246,730 B2
- Document ID: US10246730B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/988,861
- Filed: 2016-01-06
- Published: 2017-07-06
- Granted: 2019-04-02
- Earliest claimed: 2016-01-06
- Assignees: International Business Machines Corporation
- Applicants: International Business Machines Corporation
- Inventors: Yann Astier; David Esteban; Judson R. Holt; Henry K. Utomo
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10246730B2

## CPC

- C12Q 1/02: involving viable microorganisms
- A61L 2/02: using physical processes
- A61L 2/022: Filtration
- B82Y 5/00: Nanobiotechnology or nanomedicine, e.g. protein engineering or drug delivery
- C12N 1/02: Separating microorganisms from their culture media
- C12N 1/066: by physical processes
- C12Q: MEASURING OR TESTING PROCESSES INVOLVING ENZYMES, NUCLEIC ACIDS OR MICROORGANISMS (immunoassay G01N33/53); COMPOSITIONS OR TEST PAPERS THEREFOR; PROCESSES OF PREPARING SUCH COMPOSITIONS; CONDITION-RESPONSIVE CONTROL IN MICROBIOLOGICAL OR ENZYMOLOGICAL PROCESSES
- A61L: METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR STERILISING MATERIALS OR OBJECTS IN GENERAL; DISINFECTION, STERILISATION OR DEODORISATION OF AIR; CHEMICAL ASPECTS OF BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES; MATERIALS FOR BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES (preservation of bodies or disinfecting characterised by the agents employed A01N; preserving, e.g. sterilising, food or foodstuffs A23; preparations for medical, dental or toiletry purposes A61K)
- B82Y: SPECIFIC USES OR APPLICATIONS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MEASUREMENT OR ANALYSIS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF NANOSTRUCTURES
- C12N: MICROORGANISMS OR ENZYMES; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF; PROPAGATING, PRESERVING, OR MAINTAINING MICROORGANISMS; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING; CULTURE MEDIA (microbiological testing media C12Q1/00)

## Abstract

A method includes disposing a solution including a microbe or a virion on a surface of a semiconductor substrate, the semiconductor substrate having a trench extending from the surface to a region within the semiconductor substrate; wherein the the microbe or the virion is trapped within the trench of the semiconductor substrate.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of damaging or destroying a microbe or a virion, the method comprising:
forming an array of protrusions arranged on a semiconductor substrate by forming a diamond-shaped epitaxial growth on a surface of a semiconductor bar structure extending from a surface of the semiconductor substrate, the array of protrusions having nanoscale dimensions;
disposing a solution comprising a microbe or virion onto the array of protrusions; and
damaging or destroying the microbe or the virion;
wherein forming the array of protrusions comprises patterning a hard mask on the semiconductor substrate to form an array of cube-shaped hard mask structures on the semiconductor substrate, recessing the semiconductor substrate to form trenches in the semiconductor substrate, performing a crystallographic etch to convert the trenches into inverted pyramid-shaped trenches, and removing remaining portions of the hard mask to form sharp protrusions.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the array of protrusions comprise nanospikes with a sharp end to puncture the microbe or the virion.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the array of protrusions has protrusions having different dimensions.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the crystallographic etch is NH4OH, KOH, tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH), tetraethylammonium hydroxide (TEAH), or a combination thereof.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising converting the semiconductor substrate into a flexible film and forming the flexible film into a tube shape such that the array of protrusions forms a lining.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, wherein converting the array of protrusions into a flexible film comprises a spalling process comprising nickel (Ni).