Patterning and alteration of molecules

Abstract

The present invention provides a series of methods, compositions, and articles for patterning a surface with multiple, aligned layers of molecules, by exposing the molecules to electromagnetic radiation. In certain embodiments, a single photomask acts as an area-selective filter for light at multiple wavelengths. A single set of exposures of multiple wavelengths through this photomask may make it possible to fabricate a pattern comprising discontinuous multiple regions, where the regions differ from each other in at least one chemical and/or physical property, without acts of alignment between the exposures. In certain embodiments, the surface includes molecules attached thereto that can be photocleaved upon exposure to a certain wavelength of radiation, thereby altering the chemical composition on at least a portion of the surface. In some embodiments, the molecules attached to the surface may include thiol moieties (e.g., as in alkanethiol), by which the molecule can become attached to the surface. In some embodiments, the molecules may be terminated at the unattached end with photocleavable groups. In other embodiments, a molecule that was photocleaved may be exposed to another molecule that binds to the photocleaved molecule. In certain cases, the molecules may be terminated at the unattached end with hydrophilic groups that may, for example, be resistant to the adsorption of proteins. In other cases, the molecules may be terminated at the unattached end with end groups that are not resistant to the adsorption of proteins. In certain embodiments, the techniques are used to pattern simultaneously two different regions that are resistant to the adsorption of proteins, and a third region that does not resist the adsorption of proteins.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.