Abstract

The creation of bioactive substrates requires an appropriate interface molecular environment control and adequate biological species recognition with minimum nonspecific attachment. Herein, a straightforward approach utilizing chemical lift-off lithography to create a diluted self-assembled monolayer matrix for anchoring diverse biological probes is introduced. The strategy encompasses convenient operation, well-tunable pattern feature and size, large-area fabrication, high resolution and fidelity control, and the ability to functionalize versatile bioarrays. With the interface-contact-induced reaction, a preformed alkanethiol self-assembled monolayer on a Au surface is ruptured and a unique defect-rich diluted matrix is created. This post lift-off region is found to be suitable for insertion of a variety of biological probes, which allows for the creation of different types of bioactive substrates. Depending on the modifications to the experimental conditions, the processes of direct probe insertion, molecular structure change-required recognition, and bulky biological species binding are all accomplished with minimum nonspecific adhesion. Furthermore, multiplexed arrays via the integration of microfluidics are also achieved, which enables diverse applications of as-prepared substrates. By embracing the properties of well-tunable pattern feature dimension and geometry, great local molecular environment control, and wafer-scale fabrication characteristics, this chemical lift-off process has advanced conventional bioactive substrate fabrication into a more convenient route.

Highlights

  • Patterning on the micro- to nanoscale plays a key role in modern scientific and engineering research fields

  • Another important task in the chemical lift-off lithography (CLL) operation is the choice of an appropriate molecular matrix, where the influence of molecular-level steric effects dominates the insertion of biological probes or the corresponding partner recognition [27]

  • The results indicate that CLL-fabricated substrates render high versatility for biological probes, and entail great potential toward analytical technique integration

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Summary

Introduction

Patterning on the micro- to nanoscale plays a key role in modern scientific and engineering research fields. To investigate the capability of the lift-off process to fabricate various bioactive substrates, probes with different molecular behavior and multiplexed array construction are tested. After separating the contact-sealed stamps from the Au substrates, 0.5 μM thiolate probe solutions were quickly dropped onto the surfaces to anchor the biological probes into the post-chemical lift-off regions.

Results
Conclusion
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