Microfluidic surface processing device and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9611529-B2
Application number	US-201615040396-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 10, 2016
Priority date	Jun 29, 2012
Publication date	Apr 4, 2017
Grant date	Apr 4, 2017

Abstract

The present invention is notably directed to a microfluidic surface processing device including a microfluidic probe head with at least one aperture, on a face, including at least an outlet aperture; and a surface processing structure extending outward and perpendicular with respect to the face, the processing structure being further dimensioned and located with respect to the outlet aperture such that it can intercept a flowpath of liquid dispensed via the outlet aperture. The present invention is further directed to related apparatuses and methods.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of surface processing by a microfluidic surface processing device having a microfluidic probe head having, on a face, at least one aperture including at least an outlet aperture; and a processing structure extending outward and perpendicular with respect to the face, the processing structure being positioned facing a surface to be processed and being dimensioned and located with respect to the outlet aperture such that it can intercept a flowpath of a liquid dispensed via the outlet aperture, the method comprising:
dispensing a processing liquid via the outlet aperture so that the processing structure intercepts a flowpath of the processing liquid dispensed;
transferring particles in the liquid to the surface via the processing structure by bringing the processing structure in contact with the surface;
bringing the processing structure out of contact with the surface to create a pattern thereon; and
wherein, in response to providing an immersion liquid between the face and the surface, the processing liquid dispensed within the immersion liquid forms a laminar flow of processing liquid confined in the immersion liquid.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the microfluidic probe head includes an inlet aperture on the face,
the outlet aperture and the inlet aperture are dimensioned and positioned to allow for collecting via the inlet aperture, liquid dispensed via the outlet aperture,
the processing structure is located to intercept a flowpath of liquid dispensed via the outlet aperture and collected via the inlet aperture, and
the inlet aperture collects processing liquid dispensed via the outlet aperture.

3. The method of surface processing according to claim 2 , comprising:
measuring an electrical conductivity of liquid collected via the inlet aperture; and
controlling a rate of processing liquid dispensed via the outlet aperture based on the measured electrical conductivity.

4. The method of surface processing according to claim 1 , wherein a surface of the processing structure is functionalized to enable transport of the particles to an apex of the processing structure.

5. The method of surface processing according to claim 1 , wherein transferring particles includes generating a lipid bilayer at a surface of the processing structure, wherein, transferring particles includes transporting molecular species via the lipid bilayer to transfer the molecular species to the surface.

6. The method of surface processing according to claim 1 , further comprising:
connecting, mechanically, a cantilever to the microfluidic probe head;
terminating the cantilever with the processing structure which is a probe tip; and
energizing the processing structure, thermally or electrically, to enable a chemical reaction to take place at the surface.

7. The method of surface processing according to claim 6 , wherein the cantilever, at a fixed portion at the face is located distant from the probe tip and includes a free portion extending opposite to the probe tip with respect to the main axis of the cantilever, urged against the outlet aperture, wherein dispensing further includes adjusting a rate of processing liquid toward the free portion to pivot or deflect the free portion and let liquid flow through the outlet aperture.

8. The method of surface processing according to claim 1 , wherein dispensing further includes:
adjusting a rate of processing liquid toward a free portion extending opposite to processing structure to pivot or deflect the free portion and let liquid flow through the outlet aperture.

9. A method of surface processing by a microfluidic surface processing device having a microfluidic probe head having, on a face, at least one aperture including at least an outlet aperture; and a processing structure extending outward and perpendicular with respect to the face, the processing structure being positioned facing a surface to be processed and being dimensioned and located with respect to the outlet aperture such that it can intercept a flowpath of a liquid dispensed via the outlet aperture, the method comprising:
dispensing a processing liquid via the outlet aperture so that the processing structure intercepts a flowpath of the processing liquid dispensed;
transferring particles in the liquid to the surface via the processing structure by bringing the processing structure in contact with the surface;
bringing the processing structure out of contact with the surface to create a pattern thereon; and
connecting a cantilever to the microfluidic probe head, the cantilever terminated at the processing structure, which is a probe tip, wherein the cantilever, is at a fixed portion at the face, is located distant from the probe tip, and includes a free portion extending opposite to the probe tip with respect to the main axis of the cantilever, urged against the outlet aperture, and wherein, dispensing further includes: adjusting a rate of processing liquid toward the free portion to pivot or deflect the free portion and let liquid flow though the outlet aperture.

10. The method of surface processing according to claim 9 , further comprising:
terminating the cantilever with the processing structure which is a probe tip; and
energizing the processing structure, thermally or electrically, to enable a chemical reaction to take place at the surface.

11. The method of surface processing according to claim 9 , wherein:
the microfluidic probe head includes an inlet aperture on the face,
the outlet aperture and the inlet aperture are dimensioned and positioned to allow for collecting via the inlet aperture, liquid dispensed via the outlet aperture,
the processing structure is located to intercept a flowpath of liquid dispensed via the outlet aperture and collected via the inlet aperture, and
the inlet aperture collects processing liquid dispensed via the outlet aperture.

12. The method of surface processing according to claim 11 , further comprising:
measuring an electrical conductivity of liquid collected via the inlet aperture; and
controlling a rate of processing liquid dispensed via the outlet aperture based on the measured electrical conductivity.

13. The method of surface processing according to claim 9 , wherein a surface of the processing structure is functionalized to enable transport of the particles to an apex of the processing structure.

14. The method of surface processing according to claim 9 , wherein transferring particles includes generating a lipid bilayer at a surface of the processing structure, wherein, transferring particles includes transporting molecular species via the lipid bilayer to transfer the molecular species to the surface.

15. A microfluidic surface processing device comprising:
a microfluidic probe head having, on a face, at least one aperture including at least an outlet aperture; and
a processing structure extending outward and perpendicular with respect to the face, the processing structure being positioned facing a surface to be processed and being dimensioned and located with respect to the outlet aperture such that it can intercept a flowpath of a liquid dispensed via the outlet aperture; and
wherein the microfluidic surface processing is configured to perform a method comprising:
dispensing a processing liquid via the outlet aperture so that the processing structure intercepts a flowpath of the processing liquid dispensed;
transferring particles in the liquid to the surface via the processing structure by bringing the processing structure in contact with the surface;
bringing the processing structure out of contact with the surface

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Duerig Urs T
• Lovchik Robert

Classifications

• B81B1/00 Primary

  Devices without movable or flexible elements, e.g. microcapillary devices · CPC title

• B81B3/0097 Primary

  Devices comprising flexible or deformable elements not provided for in groups B81B3/0002 - B81B3/0094 · CPC title

• B05C5/02

  {the liquid or other fluent material being discharged through an outlet orifice by pressure, e.g.} from an outlet device in contact or almost in contact, with the work · CPC title

• G01Q80/00

  Applications, other than SPM, of scanning-probe techniques (manufacture or treatment of nanostructures B82B3/00; recording or reproducing information using near-field interaction G11B9/12, G11B11/24, G11B13/08) · CPC title

• G01Q60/42

  Functionalisation · CPC title