Sensing platforms with needles and methods of fabrication and use

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025176877-A1
Application number	US-202418965670-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 2, 2024
Priority date	Dec 1, 2023
Publication date	Jun 5, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

Sensing platforms having micro-sized needles on a flexible substrate, and methods for their fabrication and use. Such a sensing platform includes a flexible substrate, micro-sized needles extending from a surface of the flexible substrate, a percolated network of electrically-conductive nanowires on the surface of the flexible substrate; and an electrically-insulating layer disposed on the surface of the flexible substrate and covering the percolated network of electrically-conductive nanowires so that only tips of the micro-sized needles protrude from and are exposed by the electrically-insulating layer.

First claim

1 . A sensing platform comprising:
a flexible substrate; micro-sized needles extending from a surface of the flexible substrate; a percolated network of electrically-conductive nanowires on the surface of the flexible substrate; and an electrically-insulating layer disposed on the surface of the flexible substrate and covering the percolated network of electrically-conductive nanowires so that only tips of the micro-sized needles protrude from and are exposed by the electrically-insulating layer.

2 . The sensing platform of claim 1 , wherein the flexible substrate is formed by an elastomer material.

3 . The sensing platform of claim 2 , wherein the electrically-insulating layer is formed by the elastomer material.

4 . The sensing platform of claim 1 , wherein the micro-sized needles are formed of silicon.

5 . The sensing platform of claim 1 , wherein the flexible substrate is optically transparent.

6 . The sensing platform of claim 1 , wherein the micro-sized needles have heights of about 700 nm to about 700 micrometers.

7 . The sensing platform of claim 1 , wherein the micro-sized needles have diameters of about 80 nm to about 3 micrometers.

8 . The sensing platform of claim 1 , wherein tips of the micro-sized needles have lengths of about 2 micrometers to about 25 micrometers.

9 . The sensing platform of claim 1 , the sensing platform further comprising an optically transparent conduction path leading from the flexible substrate and comprising a portion of the percolated network of nanowires.

10 . The sensing platform of claim 1 , the sensing platform further comprising a cell culture well affixed to the electrically-insulating layer and surrounding the tips of the micro-sized needles.

11 . A method of using the sensing platform of claim 10 , the method comprising:
depositing a composition within the cell culture well so as to contact and be pierced by the tips of the micro-sized needles extend; and then causing the sensing platform to electrically interact with the composition.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the composition is a cell culture.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the electrical interaction comprises simultaneous intracellular recording of the cell culture.

14 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the electrical interaction comprises simultaneous intracellular recording and imaging of the cell culture.

15 . A method of fabricating the sensing platform of claim 1 , the method comprising:
providing a first substrate having pillars extending from a surface thereof; locally reducing diameters of the pillars at locations thereof adjacent the first substrate; embedding distal ends of the pillars in the flexible substrate; expanding the flexible substrate to cause the pillars to fracture at the locations thereof adjacent the first substrate and detach therefrom to define the micro-sized needles extending from the flexible substrate; depositing the percolated network of electrically-conductive nanowires on the surface of the flexible substrate; and then depositing the electrically-insulating layer on the surface of the flexible substrate so as to cover the percolated network of electrically-conductive nanowires and so that only the tips of the micro-sized needles protrude from and are exposed by the electrically-insulating layer.

Assignees

• Purdue Research Foundation

Inventors

• Lee Chi Hwan
• Kim Dong Rip
• Kong Hyunjoon
• Park Woohyun

Classifications

• A61B5/14503

  invasive, e.g. introduced into the body by a catheter or needle or using implanted sensors (A61B5/1459, A61B5/1464, A61B5/1473, A61B5/1482, A61B5/14865 take precedence) · CPC title

• A61B5/685 Primary

  Microneedles · CPC title

• A61B2562/0285

  Nanoscale sensors · CPC title

• A61B2562/164

  the sensor is mounted in or on a conformable substrate or carrier · CPC title

• A61B5/1473 Primary

  invasive, e.g. introduced into the body by a catheter · CPC title