Method of forming articles including waveguides via capillary micromolding and microtransfer molding

US6355198B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• President and Fellows of Harvard College · US

Inventors

• Enoch Kim · Boston, US
• Younan Xia · Atlanta, US
• Milan Mrksich · Hinsdale, US
• Rebecca J. Jackman · Boston, US
• Xiao-Mei Zhao · Pepper Pike, US
• Stephen P. Smith · Newton, US
• Mara G. Prentiss · Cambridge, US
• George M. Whitesides · Newton, US
• Christian Marzolin · Paris, FR

Key dates

• Filing date: Jan 8, 1998
• Grant date: Mar 12, 2002
• Expiry date: Jan 8, 2018

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H05K3/061
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

Chemically or biochemically active agents or other species are patterned on a substrate surface by providing a micromold having a contoured surface and forming, on a substrate surface, a chemically or biochemically active agent or fluid precursor of a structure. A chemically or biochemically active agent or fluid precursor also can be transferred from indentations in an applicator to a substrate surface. The substrate surface can be planar or nonplanar. Fluid precursors of polymeric structures, inorganic ceramics and salts, and the like can be used to form patterned polymeric articles, inorganic salts and ceramics, reactive ion etch masks, etc. at the surface. The articles can be formed in a pattern including a portion having a lateral dimension of less than about 1 millimeter or smaller. The indentation pattern of the applicator can be used to transfer separate, distinct chemically or biochemically active agents or fluid precursors to separate, isolated regions of a substrate surface. Waveguide arrays, combinatorial chemical or biochemical libraris, etc. can be made. Differences in refractive index of waveguide and cladding can be created by subjecting the waveguide and cladding, …