# US 7,410,904 B2 · Sensor produced using imprint lithography > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,410,904 B2 - Document ID: US7410904B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 10/423,063 - Filed: 2003-04-24 - Published: 2004-10-28 - Granted: 2008-08-12 - Earliest claimed: 2003-04-24 - Assignees: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. - Inventors: James Stasiak; Kevin Peters - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7410904B2 ## CPC - B81C 1/0046: {using stamping, e.g. imprinting (nanoimprinting for making etch masks G03F7/0002)} - G01N 27/4146: {involving nanosized elements, e.g. nanotubes, nanowires} - B81C: PROCESSES OR APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF MICROSTRUCTURAL DEVICES OR SYSTEMS (making microcapsules or microballoons B01J13/02; processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment of piezoelectric, electrostrictive or magnetostrictive elements per se H10N30/01) - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) ## Abstract The disclosure relates to a process including depositing an imprintable layer on a substrate. The imprintable layer is imprinted into the pattern of an imprint-fabricated ribbon. The pattern from the imprintable layer is transferred to the substrate to be used to fabricate the imprint-fabricated ribbon. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method comprising: fabricating an imprint-fabricated ribbon using imprint lithography, including integrating the imprint-fabricated ribbon in an imprint fabricated sensor, by: providing a semiconductor active layer having a prescribed thickness on a substrate, depositing an imprintable layer on the semiconductor active layer, imprinting the unprintable layer in the pattern of an imprint-fabricated ribbon to create imprinted portions of the imprintable layer and non-imprinted portions of the imprintable layer, depositing a protective layer on both imprinted portions of the imprintable layer and non-imprinted portions of the imprintable layer, removing the non-imprinted portions of the imprintable layer from the substrate, wherein the non-imprinted portions include those portions of the protective layer deposited on the non-imprinted portions of the imprintable layer, and etching the semiconductor active layer, wherein those portions of the semiconductor active layer that are below the remaining protective layer following lift-off are substantially not etched, while those portions of the semiconductor active layer that are not below the remaining protective layer following lift-off are substantially etched. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the imprint-fabricated ribbon is then functionalized. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the functionalized is by fabrication of a dielectric layer such as silicon oxide or nitride that can be readily protonated or deprotonated for the detection of protons in solution. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the functionalization is by a coating of organic species. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein the organic species includes one from the group of antibodies, antigens, polymers, polynucleic acids, polypeptides, nanoparticles, or ion exchange membranes. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the protective layer includes a metal. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the protective layer includes a non-metal. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the protective layer is removed following the etching. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein chemical etching acts to remove the protective layer. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the etching includes reactive ion etching (RIE). ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the imprinting the unprintable layer includes a stamping process. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein imprint lithography is used to fabricate the imprint-fabricated ribbon. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the imprint-fabricated ribbon is fabricated on a Silicon-On-hisulator (SOD substrate. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the prescribed thickness is selected to provide a nano-scale thickness of the imprint-fabricated ribbon. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein a prescribed width is selected to provide a nano-scale width of the imprint-fabricated ribbon. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the imprinting of the imprintable layer at least partially provides for the prescribed width of the imprint-fabricated ribbon. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the deposition of a protective layer on both imprinted portions of the imprintable layer and non-imprinted portions of the imprintable layer at least partially provides for the prescribed width of the imprint-fabricated ribbon. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the prescribed width is greater than a prescribed thickness of the imprint-fabricated ribbon. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the prescribed width is less than a prescribed thickness of the imprint-fabricated ribbon. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the prescribed width is substantially equal to a prescribed thickness of the imprint-fabricated ribbon. ### Claim 21 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, which is at least partially performed by a general purpose computer. ### Claim 22 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1. wherein the imprint-fabricated ribbon is configured for a four-point electrical resistance measurement. ### Claim 23 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the imprint-fabricated ribbon is configured for a two-point electrical resistance measurement. ### Claim 24 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the removing the non-imprinted portions of the imprintable layer from the substrate includes lifting off the non-imprinted portions of the imprintable layer. ### Claim 25 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising applying electrical contacts to the imprint-fabricated ribbons. ### Claim 26 A method comprising: fabricating an imprint-fabricated ribbon using imprint lithography, including integrating the imprint-fabricated ribbon in an imprint fabricated sensor, by: providing a conductor active layer having a prescribed thickness, depositing an imprintable layer on the conductor active layer, imprinting the imprintable layer, depositing a protective layer on both imprinted portions of the imprintable layer and non-imprinted portions of the imprintable layer, removing those non-imprinted portions of the imprintable layer including those portions of the protective layer deposited on the non-imprinted portions of the imprintable layer, and etching the conductor active layer, wherein those portions of the conductor active layer that are below the remaining protective layer following lift-off are not etched; and applying the imprint-fabricated ribbon to contact an analyte, wherein the imprint-fabricated ribbon is configured to perform sensing of target molecules contained in the analyte. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The method of claim 26, wherein the configuring of the imprint-fabricated ribbon includes functionalization to promote the adsorption of certain species in lieu of others. ### Claim 28 (depends on 26) The method of claim 26, wherein the protective layer includes a metal. ### Claim 29 (depends on 26) The method of claim 26, wherein the protective layer is removed following the etching. ### Claim 30 (depends on 29) The method of claim 29, wherein chemical etching acts to remove the protective layer. ### Claim 31 (depends on 26) The method of claim 26, wherein the etching includes reactive ion etching (RIE). ### Claim 32 (depends on 26) The method of claim 26, wherein the imprinting the imprintable layer includes a stamping process. ### Claim 33 (depends on 26) The method of claim 26, wherein the imprint-fabricated ribbon is fabricated on a Silicon-On-Insulator (SOI) substrate. ### Claim 34 (depends on 26) The method of claim 26, wherein the prescribed thickness is selected to provide a nano-scale thickness of the imprint-fabricated ribbon. ### Claim 35 (depends on 26) The method of claim 26, wherein a prescribed width is selected to provide a nano-scale width of the imprint-fabricated ribbon. ### Claim 36 (depends on 35) The method of claim 35, wherein the imprinting of the imprintable layer at least partially provides for the prescribed width of the imprint-fabricated ribbon. ### Claim 37 (depends on 36) The method of claim 36, wherein the depositing a protective layer on both imprinted portions of the imprintable layer and non-imprinted portions of the imprintable layer at least partially provides for the prescribed width of the imprint-fabricated ribbon. ### Claim 38 (depends on 26) The method of claim 26 which includes step and flash imprint lithography. ### Claim 39 (depends on 26) The method of claim 26 which includes thermal imprint lithography. ### Claim 40 (depends on 26) The method of claim 26, further comprising transducing a chemical event to an electrical signal. ### Claim 41 (depends on 26) The method of claim 26, further comprising transducing a biological event to an electrical signal. ### Claim 42 (depends on 26) The method of claim 26, further comprising applying electrical contacts to the imprint-fabricated ribbons. ### Claim 43 (depends on 26) The method of claim 26, wherein the imprint-fabricated ribbon is extendible down to the nanoscale in one cross-sectional dimension. ### Claim 44 (depends on 26) The method of claim 26, wherein the pattern of the imprint-fabricated ribbon includes a simple line segment. ### Claim 45 (depends on 26) The method of claim 26, wherein the pattern of the imprint-fabricated ribbon includes one from the group of a serpentine, an hourglass figure, a forked shape, or a dog-bone shape. ### Claim 46 (depends on 26) The method of claim 26, wherein the imprinting of the imprintable layer is executed concurrently over the entire pattern. ### Claim 47 (depends on 26) The method of claim 26, wherein the substrate is flexible. ### Claim 48 (depends on 47) The method of claim 47, wherein the imprint-fabricated ribbon is formed on a thin film portion is deposited on the substrate. ### Claim 49 (depends on 26) The method of claim 26, wherein the imprint-fabricated ribbon is then functionalized. ### Claim 50 (depends on 49) The method of claim 49, wherein the functionalizing is by fabrication of a dielectric layer such as silicon oxide or nitride that can be readily protonated or deprotonated for the detection of protons in solution. ### Claim 51 (depends on 49) The method of claim 49, wherein the functionalization is by a coating of organic species. ### Claim 52 (depends on 51) The method of claim 51, wherein the organic species includes one from the group of antibodies, antigens, polymers, polynucleic acids, polypeptides, nanoparticles, or ion exchange membranes.