Porous membrane apparatus, method, and applications
AssigneeCornell University
InventorMandy B. Esch
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Microporous membranes formed in a microfluidic device, and methods of manufacture. A method comprises the steps of etching a plurality of pillars in a microfluidic chamber, applying a first polymer material layer, applying a photoresist layer, exposing the photoresist layer to radiation to cross-link it to the microfluidic chamber, masking the photoresist layer with a porous mask, exposing the top layer of the masked photoresist layer to radiation to form a porous membrane layer of cross-linked photoresist material, removing the non-exposed photoresist material from under the porous membrane layer, drying the porous membrane layer, and removing the first polymer material from under the porous membrane layer.
Claims21
A method of producing a three-dimensional porous membrane in a microfluidic chamber, the method comprising the steps of:
- applying a photoresist material onto the microfluidic chamber to form a photoresist material layer, wherein the microfluidic chamber comprises a plurality of pillars;
- exposing a peripheral portion of the photoresist material layer to radiation, wherein exposing the photoresist material layer to radiation cross-links the exposed peripheral portion to the microfluidic chamber;
- masking, using a mask comprising a plurality of pores formed therein, the photoresist material layer;
- exposing a top layer of the masked photoresist material layer to radiation to form a porous membrane layer of cross-linked photoresist material;
- removing the non-exposed photoresist material from under the porous membrane layer;
- drying the porous membrane layer;
- and
- creating a space between a portion of the porous membrane layer and a portion of the microfluidic chamber.
A method of producing a porous membrane in a microfluidic chamber, the method comprising the steps of:
- applying a photoresist material onto the microfluidic chamber to form a photoresist material layer;
- exposing a peripheral portion of the photoresist material layer to radiation, wherein exposing the photoresist material layer to radiation cross-links the exposed peripheral portion to the microfluidic chamber;
- masking, using a mask comprising a plurality of pores formed therein, the photoresist material layer;
- exposing a top layer of the masked photoresist material layer to radiation to form a porous membrane layer of cross-linked photoresist material;
- and
- removing the non-exposed photoresist material from under the porous membrane layer.
A microfluidic device comprising:
- a microporous membrane cross-linked at its periphery to a first portion of the microfluidic device, wherein the microporous membrane is fabricated from a photoresist material layer simultaneously with fabrication of the microfluidic device;
- a cavity defined on one side by a portion of the microporous three-dimensional membrane and on another side by a second portion of the microfluidic device;
- wherein the microporous membrane comprises a plurality of three-dimensional shapes extending outwardly from the cavity.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.