System Development Issues
System development issues for the three proposed systems involve micro/ nano-fabrication, packaging and operational characterization.
- Fountain Pen Nano-Lithography (FPN)
The issues here are micro-fabrication of probes and microfluidic components, assembly (e.g., wafer bonding) and packaging (e.g., wire bonding). Operation characterization issues include nano-bio lithography of bio-molecules (e.g., proteins, peptides) and their in-situ characterization using scanning probe microscopy.
- Thermal Property Measurements of Ultra-Thin Polymeric Films
The issues here are primarily operational characterization and packaging. Commercially available micro-cantilevers with integrated micro-heaters can be used for thermal characterization of thin films. The packaging of the heated micro-cantilevers in a working instrument will enable successful commercialization of the device.
- Bio-Nano Synthesis Using SPL Techniques
The issue here is primarily in packaging and manufacturing of the micro-beads.
The commercialization of this device is based on a service model. Typically a commercial supplier will place micro-beads in a previously specified format (say, according to customer specification) into the micro-wells. The device will then be sealed with plastic wrap to prevent the micro-beads from being dislodged from the microwells. After packaging of the device it will be shipped to the customer. The customers can then unwrap and unseal the microfluidic substrate, place it on a peltier cooler for condensing water droplets in the microwells for performing nano-lithography. The micro-beads can be manufactured according to customer specification and/ or the service provider can offer a standard set of beads. The micro-beads can encapsulate required bio-materials (e.g., proteins, peptides, nucleic acids and other oligomers).
