Method and device for production of components for microfabrication
AssigneeUniversidad de Seville
InventorAlfonso Gañán-Calvo
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Atomized particles within a desired size range (e.g., 1 micron to about 5 microns) are produced from two immiscible fluids, a first fluid source containing the formulation to be atomized, and a second fluid source which is contained in a pressure chamber surrounding at least the area where the first liquid is to be provided. The invention provides methods for: the production of templates for microfabrication, such as particles that serve as templates for self-assembly of monolayers; the creation of small particles to serve as building blocks for the microassembly of objects; and the use of an atomizate to etch configurations and/or patterns onto the surface of an object by removing a selected portion of the surface.
Claims13
A method for producing templates for microfabrication, comprising the steps of:
- forcing a first liquid through a channel of a feeding source in a manner which causes the liquid to be expelled from an exit opening;
- forcing a second liquid immiscible with the first liquid through a pressure chamber in a manner which causes the second liquid to exit the pressure chamber from an exit orifice downstream of a flow path of the first liquid expelled from the exit opening of the feeding source;
- wherein a stable first liquid-second liquid interface is maintained and the first liquid forms a stable capillary jet focused to smaller dimensions on the exit orifice of the pressure chamber by the second liquid.
A method for producing assembly components for microfabrication, comprising the steps of:
- forcing a liquid through a channel of a feeding source in a manner which causes the liquid to be expelled from an exit opening;
- forcing a gas through a pressure chamber in a manner which causes the gas to exit the pressure chamber from an exit orifice downstream of a flow path of the liquid expelled from the exit opening of the feeding source;
- wherein a stable liquid-gas interface is maintained and the liquid forms a stable capillary jet focused to smaller dimensions on the exit orifice of the pressure chamber by the second fluid.
A method of creating an array, comprising the steps of:
- forcing a liquid comprising a biological or biomimetic molecule through a channel of a feeding source in a manner which causes the liquid to form a stream which is expelled from an exit opening;
- forcing a gas through a pressure chamber in a manner which causes the gas to exit the pressure chamber from an exit orifice downstream of a flow path of the liquid stream expelled from the exit opening of the feeding source and where the stream disassociates and forms particles on exiting the pressure chamber;
- and
- directing the particles onto a solid support surface;
- wherein a stable liquid-gas interface is maintained and the liquid stream forms a stable capillary jet focused to smaller dimensions on the exit orifice of the pressure chamber by the gas.
A method for etching a coated surface of an object, comprising the steps of:
- forcing liquid etching solution through a channel of a feeding source in a manner which causes the liquid to be expelled from an exit opening;
- forcing a gas through a pressure chamber in a manner which causes the gas to exit the pressure chamber from an exit orifice downstream of a flow path of the liquid stream expelled from the exit opening of the feeding source and wherein the stream disassociates and forms particles on exiting the pressure chamber;
- and
- directing the particles to a selected area of the object;
- wherein a stable liquid-gas interface is maintained and the liquid stream of etching solution forms a stable capillary jet focused to smaller dimensions on the exit orifice of the pressure chamber by the gas;
- and wherein the particles directed to the selected area results in removal of the coated surface in the selected area.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.