Pillar array structure with uniform and high aspect ratio nanometer gaps

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9868119-B2
Application number	US-201514749123-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 24, 2015
Priority date	Nov 26, 2014
Publication date	Jan 16, 2018
Grant date	Jan 16, 2018

Abstract

A technique related to sorting entities is provided. An inlet is configured to receive a fluid, and an outlet is configured to exit the fluid. A nanopillar array, connected to the inlet and the outlet, is configured to allow the fluid to flow from the inlet to the outlet. The nanopillar array includes nanopillars arranged to separate entities by size. The nanopillars are arranged to have a gap separating one nanopillar from another nanopillar. The gap is constructed to be in a nanoscale range.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of providing a fluidic apparatus, the method comprising:
providing an inlet configured to receive a fluid;
providing an outlet configured to exit the fluid;
coupling a nanopillar array to the inlet and the outlet, the nanopillar array configured to allow the fluid to flow from the inlet to the outlet;
wherein the nanopillar array includes nanopillars arranged to separate entities by size;
wherein the nanopillars are arranged to have a gap separating one nanopillar from another nanopillar;
wherein the gap is constructed to be in a nanoscale range; and
wherein an oxide layer on the nanopillars causes unevenness of the nanopillars to be uniform.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one nanopillar is to a side of the another nanopillar, such that the gap is in between.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the gap between the one nanopillar and the another nanopillar is uniform along a vertical axis of the one nanopillar and the another nanopillar.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the nanopillar array comprises the oxide layer applied on the nanopillars, the oxide layer causing the gap to be uniform along a vertical axis of the one nanopillar and the another nanopillar.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the oxide layer causes a size of the gap to be as small as about 20 nanometers while the gap remains uniform.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the oxide layer causes the unevenness in a diameter of the nanopillars to be uniform, resulting in the gap being uniform along the vertical axis of the one nanopillar and the another nanopillar.

7. The method of claim 4 , wherein an increase in a thickness of the oxide layer causes a decrease in a size of the gap.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein a size of the gap is less than 100 nanometers.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein a monolayer is applied to the nanopillars to reduce a size of the gap; and
wherein the gap having a reduced size is configured to separate smaller entities relative to when the monolayer is not applied to the nanopillars.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Astier Yann A
• Bruce Robert L
• Smith Joshua T
• Wang Chao
• Wunsch Benjamin H

Classifications

• B82B3/0014

  Array or network of similar nanostructural elements · CPC title

• G01N15/10 Primary

  Investigating individual particles · CPC title

• G01N2015/1006

  for cytology · CPC title

• B01L2200/0652

  Sorting or classification of particles or molecules · CPC title

• B81B2203/0361

  Tips, pillars · CPC title