# US 7,608,446 B2 · Nanostructured surface for microparticle analysis and manipulation > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,608,446 B2 - Document ID: US7608446B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 10/954,552 - Filed: 2004-09-30 - Published: 2006-03-30 - Granted: 2009-10-27 - Earliest claimed: 2004-09-30 - Assignees: Alcatel-Lucent USA Inc. - Inventors: Joanna Aizenberg; Paul Kolodner; Thomas Krupenkin; Joseph Ashley Taylor - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7608446B2 ## CPC - C12N 13/00: Treatment of microorganisms or enzymes with electrical or wave energy, e.g. magnetism, sonic waves - B82Y 5/00: Nanobiotechnology or nanomedicine, e.g. protein engineering or drug delivery - B82Y 15/00: Nanotechnology for interacting, sensing or actuating, e.g. quantum dots as markers in protein assays or molecular motors - C12N: MICROORGANISMS OR ENZYMES; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF; PROPAGATING, PRESERVING, OR MAINTAINING MICROORGANISMS; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING; CULTURE MEDIA (microbiological testing media C12Q1/00) - B82Y: SPECIFIC USES OR APPLICATIONS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MEASUREMENT OR ANALYSIS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF NANOSTRUCTURES ## Abstract The present invention provides an apparatus, comprising a first mechanical structure having a first rigid surface, an area of the first rigid surface having a nanostructured surface. The apparatus also includes a second mechanical structure having a second rigid surface and opposing the first mechanical structure. The second rigid surface is cooperable with the nanostructured surface such that a microscopic particle is locatable between the nanostructured surface and the second rigid surface. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus, comprising: a first mechanical structure having a first rigid surface, an area of said first rigid surface having a nano structured surface; and a second mechanical structure having a second rigid surface and opposing said first mechanical structure and cooperable with said nanostructured surface such that a microscopic particle is locatable between said nanostructured surface and said second rigid surface, and wherein: one of said rigid surfaces is movable with respect to the other of said rigid surfaces and cooperable to apply a contact force to said microscopic particle through said nanostructured surface, said nanostructured surface comprises pins having a conductive core, said conductive core and said second rigid surface configured to be electrically coupled to a voltage, and said area of said first rigid surface includes openings between said pins to form a permeable membrane. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said nanostructured surface comprises pins configured to have a pitch equal to smaller than about one-half of an average diameter of said locatable microscopic particle. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said second rigid surface further comprises openings to form a second permeable membrane. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein: said conductive core of each of said pins is insulated. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a device configured to generate an acoustic wave applied to at least one of said first rigid surface or said second rigid surface. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said nanostructured surface comprises a plurality of blades having a diameter configured to rupture a membrane of said locatable microparticle. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a system configured to analyze material released from said locatable microparticle when said microparticle is ruptured. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprises a device configured to pass analyzed material released from said microparticle through said openings. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said microparticle is located between said nanostructured surface and said second rigid surface. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said microparticle is a biological cell. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said microparticle is a nonbiological particle. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said contact force lyses a membrane or a coating of said microparticle. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said second rigid surface further includes a second nanostructured surface. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The apparatus of claim 13, wherein pins of said second nanostructured surface are offset from pins of said nanostructured surface. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said nanostructured surface has a one of a convex or concave shape and said second rigid surface has the other of said convex or concave shape. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a system configured to analyze material released from ruptured ones of said microscopic particles; a microfluidic channel that directs said material to said system; and a device configured to pass said material through openings in one or both of said first or second rigid surfaces to said system. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a system configured to analyze a physical property of said microparticle in response to said contact force being applied. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said physical property is one or more of an elastic property or compressibility of said microparticle, assessed by applying said contact force between said microparticle and pins of said nanostructured surface. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The apparatus of claim 17, wherein pins of said nanostructured surface have tip diameters that are substantially equal to pin diameters. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said physical property is one or more of a capacitance, impedance or conductance of said microparticle, assessed by applying a voltage potential between said microparticle and conductive pins of said nanostructured surface. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The apparatus of claim 20, wherein said voltage potential is less than about 0.1 Volts. ### Claim 22 (depends on 17) The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said physical property is one or more of a dielectric property of said microparticle, assessed by resistance or a conductance between said microparticle and insulated conductive pins of said nanostructured surface. ### Claim 23 (depends on 17) The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said physical property is an acoustic impedance of said microparticle, assessed by applying an acoustic wave between said microparticle and said nano structured surface. ### Claim 24 (depends on 17) The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said apparatus is configured to apply to said microparticle, acoustic waves of a wavelength substantially equal to a lateral spacing between pins of said nanostructured surface. ### Claim 25 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further including said voltage source, wherein said conductive core and said second rigid surface are electrically coupled to said voltage source.