A nanotweezer comprises a first metastructure including a first substrate, a first electrode, and a plurality of plasmonic nanostructures; a second metastructure including a second substrate and a second electrode, wherein the second substrate and the second electrode are substantially transparent to light within a wavelength range; a microfluidic channel between the first metastructure and the second metastructure; a voltage source configured to selectively apply an electric field between the first electrode and the second electrode a light source configured to selectively apply an excitation light to the microfluidic channel, the excitation light having a wavelength within the wavelength range. In response to the selective application of the electric field and/or the excitation light, nanoparticles within the microfluidic channel are manipulated.

A nanoscale selective functionalization method is provided. The nanoscale functionalization method includes self-assembling first molecules to nanowires of transistors provided on a wafer. The nanoscale functionalization method further includes identifying a transistor as a target transistor and transistors neighboring the target transistor as neighboring transistors. In addition, the nanoscale functionalization method includes disassembling the first molecules from the nanowire of the target transistor without disassembling the first molecule from the nanowires of the neighboring transistors. The nanoscale functionalization method also includes self-assembling second molecules to the nanowire of the target transistor.

The present application relates to multifunctional hierarchically microstructured surfaces and three-dimensional anchored interfacial domain structures. The multifunctional properties are extremal. In one aspect the microstructured surfaces may be super-adhesive. Examples of super-adhesive mechanisms may include gas trapping, fluid trapping, and solid wrinkle trapping. In another aspect the micro structured surfaces may be nearly adhesive-less. Examples of adhesive-less mechanisms may include inter-solid surface lubrication, energy conserving fluid flows, and super-low drag phase-phase lateral displacement. The extremal structures may be obtained by anchoring mechanisms. Examples of anchoring mechanisms may include Wenzel-Cassie formation, contact angle confusion, and capillary effects.

A method for functionalizing a surface of a dielectric plate that is transparent to visible lightto be able to examine the dielectric plate using optical microscopyincludes depositing a negative film on the dielectric slide. The negative film comprises a polymerizable composition that polymerizes when exposed to an electron beam. The polymerizable composition is polymerizedby exposing the negative film to the electronic beamat a set of points representing a preset pattern. Non-polymerized portions of the polymerizable composition are dissolvedto develop the negative filmforming a set of pads of polymerized portions of the polymerizable composition. Each pad corresponds to one point of the preset pattern. A metal film is disposed on the negative film, and the developed negative film is dissolved to define holes through the metal film. Each of the holes corresponds to a base of one pad of the set of pads.

Compositions, devices, and methods are disclosed for the modification of polymer surfaces with coatings having a dispersion of silicone polymer and hydrophobic silica. The surface coatings provide the polymer surface with high hydrophobicity, as well as increased resistance to biofouling with proteinaceous material. The polymer surfaces can be particularly useful in microfluidic devices and methods that involve the contacting of the covalently modified polymer surfaces with emulsions of aqueous droplets containing biological macromolecules within an oil carrier phase.

A method for manufacturing a MEMS structure is provided. The method includes providing a MEMS substrate having a first surface, forming a first buffer layer on the first surface of the MEMS substrate, and forming a first roughening layer on the first buffer layer. Also, a MEMS structure is provided. The MEMS structure includes a MEMS substrate, a first buffer layer, a first roughening layer, and a CMOS substrate. The MEMS substrate has a first surface and a pillar is on the first surface. The first buffer layer is on the first surface. The first roughening layer is on the first buffer layer. The CMOS substrate has a second surface and is bonded to the MEMS substrate via the pillar. Moreover, an air gap is between the first roughening layer and the second surface of the CMOS substrate.

A microfluidic product utilizing gradient surface energy coatings for fluid control comprising a plurality of fluid passages wherein at least one fluid passage comprises a coating configured to control liquid flow wherein the coating configured to control liquid flow comprises a gradient surface energy coating from a proximal location to a distal location on a surface of the fluid passage. The product can include uniform regions and surface gradient regions in the same passage. Coating compositions and product dimensions can be selected to provide control over different flow properties including fluid velocity, reduction and acceleration of fluid flow, and starting and stopping fluid flow.

A microfluidic channel made of a hydrophilic silicone resin includes a crosslinked material obtained by curing a composition containing a silicone macromer represented by the following general formula (1). Consequently, a microfluidic channel made from a resin having high oxygen permeability, where a surface after formation shows high hydrophilicity without a secondary treatment and the hydrophilicity is sustained for a long period of time.

##STR00001##

A method of making a microfluidic device (200, 201, 300) can include depositing a layer of photoresist onto a first substrate (210, 270, 310), selectively removing the photoresist to expose portions of the first substrate (210, 270, 310), etching the exposed portions of the first substrate (210, 270, 310) to form an array of nano-wells (240, 340), coating each nano-well (240, 340) with metal oxide, and coating the metal oxide on each nano-well (240, 340) with a first material to increase binding of DNA, proteins, and polynucleotides to the metal oxide. A layer of a second material can be deposited on interstitial areas between the nano-wells (240, 340) to inhibit binding of DNA, proteins, and polynucleotides to the interstitial areas. A second substrate (220, 320) can be bonded to the first substrate (210, 270, 310) to enclose the array of nano-wells (240, 340) in a cavity.

The present disclosure provides microstructured hydrophobic surfaces and devices for gripping wet deformable surfaces. The surfaces and devices disclosed herein utilize a split contact Wenzel-Cassie mechanism to develop multi-level Wenzel-Cassie structures. The Wenzel-Cassie structures are separated with a spatial period corresponding to at least one wrinkle eigenmode of a wet deformable surface to which the microstructure or device is designed to contact, allowing grip of the deformable surface without slippage. Microstructures of the present invention are specifically designed to prevent the formation of Shallamach waves when a shear force is applied to a deformable surface. The multi-level Wenzel-Cassie states of the present disclosure develop temporally, and accordingly are characterized by hierarchical fluid pinning, both in the instance of slippage, and more importantly in the instance of localization. This temporal aspect to the multi-level Wenzel-Cassie state delays or prevents the transition from a wrinkled eigenmode state in a deformable surface to a buckled state in a deformable surface.