Method for Producing a Mold Element for Producing Micro-Arrays, and Mold Element

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for producing a mold element for producing micro-arrays. First, a planar base element, in particular in the form of a film, is provided. Recesses are made in, in particular embossed into, an upper face of the element. The recesses are opened on a lower face of the base element in particular by using laser radiation. The invention also relates in particular to a mold element produced by means of this method, which mold element has recesses like the base element. Each of the recesses has openings in the lower face of the base element.

Claims

1. A method for producing a mold element for producing microarrays, the method comprising the steps of: providing a planar base element, forming recesses in the base element starting from an upper face of the base element, and opening the recesses on a lower face opposite the upper face.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the base element is in the form of a film having a thickness of 0.5-2 mm, in particular 0.5-1.5 mm.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the recesses are formed by embossing.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the recesses are made using an embossing roller having a plurality of protrusions complementary to the recesses.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the recesses are opened by heating the base element.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the recesses are opened by heating or melting the base element.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the recesses are opened using laser beams.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein per recess, one laser beam is directed onto the base element.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the laser beams are directed into the recesses from the upper face.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein the laser beams are directed towards the lower face of the base element.

11. A mold element for producing microarrays, produced in particular by means of the method according to claim 1, comprising a planar base element, recesses arranged, in particular embossed, in the base element, which extend from an upper face towards a lower face, wherein in particular each recess has an opening provided on the lower face of the base element.

12. The mold element according to claim 11, wherein the base element is in the form of a film having a thickness of 0.5-2 mm, in particular 0.5-1.5 mm.

13. The mold element according to claim 11, wherein the base element comprises TPU, PC, PETG.

14. The mold element according to claim 11, wherein the cross sections of the recesses taper from the upper face towards the lower face of the base element.

15. The mold element according to claim 11, wherein the recesses are pyramidal in shape with in particular a square cross section.

16. The mold element according to claim 11, wherein the recesses on the upper face have a cross-sectional area of 0.04 mm.sup.2-0.16 mm.sup.2, in particular of 0.04-0.08 mm.sup.2.

17. The mold element according to claim 11, wherein the recesses have a depth in a range from 600 μm to 1500 μm, in particular from 600 to 1000 μm.

18. The mold element according to claim 11, wherein the base element has a thickness thicker by 200 μm-500 μm than the depth of the recesses.

19. The mold element according to claim 17, wherein the base element has a thickness of 00 μm to 2 mm.

20. The mold element according to claim 11, wherein the openings are lasered openings.

21. The mold element according to claim 11, wherein the openings have a diameter of <40 μm, in particular <10 μm.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] In the Figs.:

[0026] FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of a base element together with an embossing roller,

[0027] FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of the embossed base element together with a laser means, and

[0028] FIG. 3 is a schematic enlarged side view of a recess produced by means of the method according to the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0029] In the embodiment illustrated, a base element 10 in the form of a film is moved from left to right in the direction of an arrow 12 in FIG. 1 to produce a mold element by means of the method according to the invention. To form recesses 14 in an upper face 16 of the base element 10 which, in the embodiment, rotates counterclockwise in the direction of an arrow 20. On an outer face of the embossing roller 18, a plurality of protrusions 22 is provided, the protrusions 22 being arranged such that they are regularly distributed across the entire outer face of the embossing roller 20. The cross section of the protrusions 22 corresponds to the cross section of the recesses 14. The protrusions 22 are in particular formed in a pyramid shape and have a preferably square cross section.

[0030] The height of the protrusions 22 and thus the depth of the recesses is slightly smaller than the thickness of the film 10. The film 10 is thus closed on the lower face 24 even after the forming of the recesses 14 by the embossing process.

[0031] In a next method step, openings 26 are formed on the lower face 26 of the film 10, the openings being arranged centrally with respect to the recesses 14 (hier lassen sich die beiden deutschen Wörter “zentral bzw. mittig” m. E. nicht vernünftig durch zwei englische Wörter übersetzen). The openings 26 are formed using a laser device 28, while the embossed film 10 is incrementally moved in particular to the right in the direction of an arrow 30 in FIG. 2. The laser device 28 generates in particular a plurality of laser beams 32 which are each directed towards a tip of the recess 14. The openings 26 are formed by means of the laser beams 32.

[0032] A mold element 34 produced in particular by means of the method according to the invention comprises a plurality of recesses 14. These are formed such that, starting from the upper face 16 of the base element 10, they taper towards the lower face 24. The recesses 14 each have a pyramidal cross section with an in particular square base surface.

[0033] A side length a of the square base surface of the pyramidal recess 14 has dimensions of a=200-400 μm. The depth of the recesses 14 is t 0 600 μm-1500 μm. A diameter of the openings 26 formed by a laser is preferably <40 μm and preferably <10 μm. The total film thickness T is T=800 μm-2 mm.