Baths for producing microstructures

Abstract

A bath for generating microstructures which is required in numerous fields of application of the microsystem technique and in microstructuring offers a less expensive alternative to known conventional approaches and disposal of the used bath may be carried out in a manner more environmentally friendly manner than in the previous methods for manufacture of microstructures. The bath includes at least one biogenic agent (in particular, an enzyme) which acts upon a preselectable thin layer.

1 . A method of generating microstructures in a layer system, the layer system including at least two layers arranged in a particular layer sequence, said at least two layers including a first layer and a second layer, the method comprising the steps of: preparing a solution including at least two biogenic agents, said at least two biogenic agents including a first biogenic agent and a second biogenic agent each having an activity effective for degrading at least a respective one of said first and second layers; exposing said layer system to said solution; and selectively controlling said activity of each of said first and second biogenic agents one of alternatively and simultaneously.  
     
     
         2 . A method according to  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 adding at least one inhibiting agent selected from the group consisting of inhibitors and competitors to said solution, said at least one inhibiting agent effecting inactivation of a given one of said at least two biogenic agents.    
     
     
         3 . A method according to  claim 2 , wherein said step of adding includes inserting said inhibiting agent into said solution during a degradation process.  
     
     
         4 . A method according to  claim 3 , wherein said step of adding includes incorporating said inhibiting agent into at least one of said at least two layers of said layer system to be structurized such that said inhibiting agent is released into said solution when said at least one of said at least two layers is degraded.  
     
     
         5 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein said step of selectively controlling includes activating said first and second biogenic agents at different temperatures.  
     
     
         6 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said first and second biogenic agents is an enzyme.  
     
     
         7 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said first and second biogenic agents is a substance consumed during degradation of at least one of said first and second layers.  
     
     
         8 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein, when each of said first and second biogenic agents are active, effectiveness of each of said first and second biogenic agents is specific for degrading a respective one of said first and second layers.  
     
     
         9 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein: at least one of said first and second layers is comprised of a biopolymer; and at least one said first and second biogenic agents is effective, when active, for degrading said at least one of said first and second layers.