Semiconductor manufactured nano-structures for microbe or virus trapping or destruction

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017191106-A1
Application number	US-201614988861-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 6, 2016
Priority date	Jan 6, 2016
Publication date	Jul 6, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method includes disposing a solution including a microbe or a virion on a surface of a semiconductor substrate, the semiconductor substrate having a trench extending from the surface to a region within the semiconductor substrate; wherein the the microbe or the virion is trapped within the trench of the semiconductor substrate.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method, comprising:
disposing a solution comprising a microbe or a virion on a surface of a semiconductor substrate, the semiconductor substrate having a trench extending from the surface to a region within the semiconductor substrate; wherein the microbe or the virion is trapped within the trench of the semiconductor substrate.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the trench has an average diameter in a range from about 70 to about 700 nanometers (nm).

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the semiconductor substrate further comprises an array of trenches.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the semiconductor substrate further comprises multiple arrays of trenches with different average diameters.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the trench further comprises a material having an affinity for the microbe or the virion.

6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising labeling the microbe or the virion with a fluorescent marker and using a camera to record fluorescence intensity to determine concentration of a labeled microbe or labeled virion.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the solution comprises different microbes or different virions.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the surface of the semiconductor substrate is a roughened surface comprising agglomerates of a semiconductor material, and the trench is formed between the agglomerates.

9 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising annealing the semiconductor substrate to create the roughened surface comprising agglomerates of the semiconductor material.

10 . A method, comprising:
disposing a solution comprising a microbe or a virion on a surface of a device, the device comprising:
a first semiconductor layer having a first trench extending from a first surface to a second surface of the first semiconductor layer;
a second semiconductor layer arranged beneath the first semiconductor layer and having a second trench extending from a first surface to a second surface of the second semiconductor layer, the second trench having a diameter that is smaller than the first trench; and
an elongated gap positioned between portions of the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer;
wherein the microbe or the virion has a size that moves through the first trench in the first semiconductor layer and the elongated gap and is expelled from the device, and remaining solution moves through the second trench in the second semiconductor layer.

11 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising a second elongated gap arranged beneath second semiconductor layer and another third semiconductor layer.

12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the solution further comprises a second microbe or a second virion that has a size that moves through the second trench in the second semiconductor layer and another elongated gap arranged under the second semiconductor layer and is expelled from the device from a different output area.

13 . A method of making a device for damaging or destroying a microbe or a virion, comprising:
forming an array of protrusions arranged on a semiconductor substrate, the array of protrusions having nanoscale dimensions; wherein the microbe or the virion is damaged or destroyed after being disposed on the array of protrusions.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein forming the array of protrusions comprises growth an epitaxial layer on a semiconductor fin structure.

15 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the array of protrusions comprise nanospikes with a sharp end to puncture the microbe or the virion.

16 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the array of protrusions has protrusions having different dimensions.

17 . The method of claim 13 , wherein forming the array of protrusions comprises patterning a hard mask on the semiconductor substrate to form an array of cube-shaped hard mask structures on the semiconductor substrate, recessing the semiconductor substrate to form trenches in the semiconductor substrate, performing a crystallographic etch to convert the trenches into inverted pyramid-shaped trenches, and removing remaining portions of the hard mask to form sharp protrusions.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the crystallographic etch is NH 4 OH, KOH, tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH), tetraethylammonium hydroxide (TEAH), or a combination thereof.

19 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising converting the semiconductor substrate into a flexible film and forming the flexible film into a tube shape such that the array of protrusions forms a lining.

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein converting the array of protrusions into a flexible film comprises a spalling process comprising nickel (Ni).

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Astier Yann
• Esteban David
• Holt Judson R
• Utomo Henry K

Classifications

• A61L2/02

  using physical processes · CPC title

• C12N1/066

  by physical processes · CPC title

• C12Q1/02 Primary

  involving viable microorganisms · CPC title

• C12N1/02

  Separating microorganisms from their culture media · CPC title

• B82Y5/00

  Nanobiotechnology or nanomedicine, e.g. protein engineering or drug delivery · CPC title