# US 8,539,905 B2 · Polymeric micro-cantilevers for ultra-low volume fluid and living cell deposition > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,539,905 B2 - Document ID: US8539905B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/613,258 - Filed: 2009-11-05 - Published: 2010-05-13 - Granted: 2013-09-24 - Earliest claimed: 2008-11-07 - Assignees: The Research Foundation for The State University of New York - Applicants: Nathaniel C. Cady; Magnus Bergkvist; Alison Gracias - Inventors: Nathaniel C. Cady; Magnus Bergkvist; Alison Gracias - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8539905B2 ## CPC - B01L 3/0248: {Prongs, quill pen type dispenser} - B01L 3/0255: {characterised by the form or material of the pin tip} - B82Y 10/00: Nanotechnology for information processing, storage or transmission, e.g. quantum computing or single electron logic - B82Y 40/00: Manufacture or treatment of nanostructures - G03F 7/0002: {Lithographic processes using patterning methods other than those involving the exposure to radiation, e.g. by stamping} - B01L 2400/0406: capillary forces - B01L 2400/0487: fluid pressure, pneumatics - B01L: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE - B82Y: SPECIFIC USES OR APPLICATIONS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MEASUREMENT OR ANALYSIS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF NANOSTRUCTURES - G03F: PHOTOMECHANICAL PRODUCTION OF TEXTURED OR PATTERNED SURFACES, e.g. FOR PRINTING, FOR PROCESSING OF SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; MATERIALS THEREFOR; ORIGINALS THEREFOR; APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED THEREFOR; (phototypographic composing devices B41B; photosensitive materials or processes for photographic purposes G03C; electrophotography, sensitive layers or processes therefor G03G) ## Abstract Polymer-based micro-cantilevers for depositing material onto a surface include, in one embodiment, a body portion, an elongated beam portion sized smaller than and extending from the body portion and having a length greater than about 500 microns. The body portion includes a reservoir and the elongated beam portion having a passageway disposed therein. The passageway has an inlet opening in fluid communication with the reservoir and an outlet opening at a distal end of the elongated beam portion. The passageway comprises a width greater than 10 microns to about 100 microns, and a height of about 25 microns to about 100 microns. Methods for delivering fluid and living cells using the polymer-based micro-cantilevers are also disclosed. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A device for depositing material onto a surface, said device comprising: a body portion; an elongated beam portion sized smaller than and extending from said body portion, said elongated beam portion comprising a length greater than about 500 microns; said body portion having a reservoir disposed in said body portion; said elongated beam portion having a passageway disposed therein, said passageway having an inlet opening in fluid communication with said reservoir and an outlet opening at a distal end of said elongated beam portion, and said passageway comprising a width greater than 10 microns to about 100 microns, and a height of about 25 microns to about 100 microns; and wherein said passageway being an enclosed fluidic passageway extending between said inlet opening and said outlet opening for transporting fluid from said reservoir to said distal end of said elongated beam portion. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1 wherein said elongated beam portion comprises a bottom wall, a first side wall, a second side wall, and an upper wall extending across said passageway having a thickness of between about 5 microns and about 25 microns. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1 wherein said body portion and said elongated beam portion comprise a polymeric material. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1 wherein said passageway comprises a width of between about 40 microns and 60 microns, and a height of between about 40 microns and 60 microns. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1 wherein said passageway comprises a width of greater than 50 microns to about 100 microns, and a height of greater than 50 microns to about 100 microns. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1 wherein said body portion and said elongated beam portion comprise a thickness of between about 50 microns to about 200 microns. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1 further comprising a projecting portion extending below said distal opening at the distal end of said elongated beam portion and outwardly from said distal end. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The device of claim 7 wherein said projecting portion comprises at least one of a triangular and a semi-circular shape. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1 wherein said elongated beam portion comprises a length greater than 2,000 microns. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1 wherein said elongated beam portion comprises a length greater than about 3,000 microns. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) A method for delivering a fluid to a surface, the method comprising: providing the device of claim 1; introducing the fluid into the reservoir of the device; transferring fluid through the passageway from the reservoir to the distal end of the elongated beam portion; and depositing the fluid from the distal end of the elongated beam portion to the surface. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11 wherein the depositing the fluid comprises positioning the elongated beam portion on an angle relative to the surface. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11 wherein the depositing fluid comprises positioning the elongated beam portion on an angle of about 36 degrees to about 48 degrees relative to the surface. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11 wherein the depositing the fluid comprises depositing a droplet of fluid to the surface wherein the droplet comprises a diameter of about 10 microns to about 100 microns. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11 wherein the depositing the fluid comprises depositing a droplet of fluid to the surface wherein the droplet comprises a diameter of about 50 microns. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11 wherein the depositing the fluid comprises depositing a droplet of fluid to the surface wherein the droplet comprises a diameter of about 100 microns. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) A method for delivering living cells to a surface, the method comprising: providing the device of claim 1; depositing the cells into the reservoir of the device; transferring the cells through the passageway from the reservoir to the distal end of the elongated beam portion; and depositing the cells from the distal end of the elongated beam portion to the surface. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17 wherein the cells comprise at least one of mammalian, plant, fungal, and bacteria cells. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17 wherein the depositing the cells comprises depositing a single cell at spaced-apart locations. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17 wherein the depositing the cells comprises depositing cells at uniformly spaced-apart locations. ### Claim 21 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17 wherein the depositing the cells comprises depositing cell in columns and rows. ### Claim 22 (depends on 1) A method for delivering fluid to a surface, the method comprising: providing the device of claim 1 comprising the elongated beam portion having the passageway therein; transferring the fluid through the passageway to the outlet opening in the distal end of the elongated beam portion; and depositing the fluid from the distal end of the elongated beam portion to the surface to provide a plurality of droplets having a diameter of between about 20 microns to about 100 microns. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22 wherein the depositing the fluid comprises transferring a droplet of fluid to the surface having volume between about 1 pL to about 250 pL. ### Claim 24 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22 wherein the depositing the fluid comprises transferring a droplet of fluid to the surface wherein the droplet comprises a diameter of about 50 microns. ### Claim 25 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22 wherein the depositing the fluid comprises transferring a droplet of fluid to the surface wherein the droplet comprises a diameter of about 100 microns. ### Claim 26 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22 wherein the depositing the fluid comprises depositing the fluid from a projecting portion extending outwardly from the distal end of the elongated beam portion. ### Claim 27 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22 further comprising providing a pump operably connected to the elongated beam portion for delivering fluid to the distal end. ### Claim 28 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22 further comprising a vacuum device operably connected to the elongated beam portion for removing fluid from the surface. ### Claim 29 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1 wherein the device is formed by a method comprising: providing a substrate; depositing a release layer on the substrate; depositing a first polymeric layer on a substrate; exposing the first polymeric layer to a light source to define a base of the body portion and the elongated beam portion extending from the body portion; depositing a second polymeric layer on the first polymeric layer; exposing the second polymeric layer to the light source to define an upper portion of the body portion having the reservoir, and a plurality of spaced-apart walls defining an upper portion of the elongated beam portion extending from the body portion and terminating at the distal end of the elongated beam portion, and a passageway extending from the reservoir between the spaced-apart walls to the distal end of the elongated beam portion; exposing the second polymeric layer to the light source to define a cover disposed over the passageway extending from the reservoir, between the spaced-apart walls, and to the projection portion; and developing the second polymeric layer to dissolve the unexposed portions of the polymeric layers. ### Claim 30 (depends on 29) The device of claim 29 wherein the cover disposed over the passageway comprises a thickness of between about 5 microns and about 25 microns. ### Claim 31 (depends on 29) The device of claim 29 wherein the projecting portion comprises at least one of a triangular and a semi-circular shape. ### Claim 32 (depends on 29) The device of claim 29 wherein the enclosed passageway comprises a width of about 25 microns to about 100 microns. ### Claim 33 (depends on 29) The device of claim 29 wherein the enclosed passageway comprises a height of about 25 microns to about 100 microns. ### Claim 34 (depends on 29) The device of claim 29 wherein the elongated beam portion comprises a width of about 100 microns to about 200 microns. ### Claim 35 (depends on 29) The device of claim 29 wherein the length of the elongated beam portion is about 500 microns to about 2000 microns. ### Claim 36 (depends on 29) The device of claim 29 wherein the length of the elongated beam portion is greater than 2000 microns. ### Claim 37 (depends on 29) The device of claim 29 wherein the polymeric material comprises SU8. ### Claim 38 A device for depositing material onto a surface, said device comprising: a body portion; an elongated beam portion sized smaller than and extending from said body portion, said body portion and said elongated beam portion comprising a thickness of between about 50 microns to about 200 microns, and said elongated beam portion comprising a length greater than about 500 microns; said body portion having a reservoir disposed in said body portion; said elongated beam portion having a passageway disposed therein, said passageway having an inlet opening in fluid communication with said reservoir and an outlet opening at a distal end of said elongated beam portion, said passageway comprising a width greater than 10 microns to about 100 microns, and a height of about 25 microns to about 100 microns, and said elongated beam portion comprising a bottom wall, a first side wall, a second side wall, and an upper wall defining an enclosed fluidic passageway between said inlet opening and said outlet opening for transporting fluid from said reservoir to said distal end of said elongated beam portion; a projecting portion extending below said distal opening at the distal end of said elongated beam portion outwardly from said distal end; and wherein said body portion and said elongated beam portion comprise a polymeric material. ### Claim 39 (depends on 38) The device of claim 38 wherein said upper wall extending across said passageway comprises a thickness of between about 5 microns and about 25 microns. ### Claim 40 (depends on 38) The device of claim 38 wherein said passageway comprises having a width of between about 40 microns and 60 microns, and a height of between about 40 microns and 60 microns. ### Claim 41 (depends on 38) The device of claim 38 wherein said passageway comprises a width of greater than 50 microns to about 100 microns, and a height of greater than 50 microns to about 100 microns. ### Claim 42 (depends on 38) The device of claim 38 wherein said projecting portion comprises at least one of a triangular and a semi-circular shape. ### Claim 43 (depends on 38) The device of claim 38 wherein said elongated beam portion comprises a length greater than 2,000 microns. ### Claim 44 (depends on 38) The device of claim 38 wherein said elongated beam portion comprises a length greater than about 3,000 microns.