Nano Titer Plates: Micro Compartment Arrays for Biotechnological Applications

Arrays of micro compartments for combinatorial chemistry and biotechnological applications have been fabricated by means of photolithography and anisotropic chemical wet etching. Integration levels of 16′000 per 4″ wafer have been achieved. Optically transparent membranes or micro sieves allowing for rinsing between process steps can be incorporated. For the investigation of thermally activated biochemical reactions a micro compartment array with integrated thermo control has been developed, which allows the adjustment of thermal gradients over a 4″ wafer. Peak temperatures exceeding 90 °C at the center of the wafer as well as temperature gradients with ΔT = 40 °C could be demonstrated. To avoid fluidic crosstalking between adjacent compartments a technique has been developed, that allows selectively hydrophobizing the rims of the compartments.