Nanofluidic channels with gradual depth change for reducing entropic barrier of biopolymers
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsQinghuang Lin, Gustavo A. Stolovitzky, Chao Wang, Deqiang Wang
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A device for passing a biopolymer molecule includes a nanochannel formed between a surface relief structure, a patterned layer forming sidewalls of the nanochannel and a sealing layer formed over the patterned layer to encapsulate the nanochannel. The surface relief structure includes a three-dimensionally rounded surface that reduces a channel dimension of the nanochannel at a portion of nanochannel and gradually increases the dimension along the nanochannel toward an opening position, which is configured to receive a biopolymer.
Claims20
A method for fabricating a microfluidic channel, comprising:
- patterning a surface relief material on a substrate, wherein the surface relief material has an initial volume, Vo;
- partially or completely melting the surface relief material to form a cap having a rounded surface determined by a contact angle, θ, and the initial volume, V0, of the melted surface relief material.
A method for fabricating a microfluidic channel, comprising:
- depositing a surface coating layer on the substrate to control the surface tension of the substrate;
- patterning a surface relief material on the surface coating layer;
- completely melting the surface relief material to form a spherical cap having a rounded surface determined by a contact angle, θ, and an initial volume, Vo, of the melted surface relief material;
- and
- forming an insulating dielectric layer over the cap.
A method for fabricating a microfluidic channel, comprising:
- partially or completely melting a patterned surface relief material on a substrate to form a cap having a rounded surface determined by a contact angle, θ, and an initial volume, V0, of the melted surface relief material;
- forming an insulating dielectric layer over the cap;
- and
- forming a nanochannel in the insulating dielectric layer, wherein the rounded surface of the cap forms a bottom surface of the nanochannel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.