Processes for rapid microfabrication using thermoplastics and devices thereof

Abstract

A method is provided to prepare one or more microfluidic channels on a receptive material by applying an image-forming material to a heat sensitive thermoplastic receptive material in a designed pattern and heating the material under conditions that reduce the size of the thermoplastic receptive material by at least about 60%. In an alternative aspect, the microfluidic channels on receptive material are prepared by etching a designed pattern into a heat sensitive thermoplastic material support and then heating the material under conditions that reduce the size of the thermoplastic receptive material by at least about 60%.

1 .- 57 . (canceled) 
     
     
         58 . A device comprising a heat-shrunk thermoplastic base having a textured metal surface, wherein the textured metal surface has an average height from about 100 nanometers to about 5 micrometers. 
     
     
         59 . The device of  claim 58 , wherein the textured metal surface comprises at least one metal selected from the group consisting of silver, gold and copper. 
     
     
         60 . A method to prepare one or more microfluidic channels on a receptive material, comprising the steps of:
 a) applying an image-forming material to a heat sensitive thermoplastic receptive material in a designed pattern;   b) heating said material under conditions that reduce the size of the thermoplastic receptive material by at least about 60%; and   c) preparing the microfluidic channels via lithography.   
     
     
         61 . The method according to  claim 60 , wherein the image-forming material is a liquid containing one or more of the group of pigment, dye, or combination thereof. 
     
     
         62 . The method according to  claim 60 , wherein the image-forming material is one or more of the group of an ink, a protein, a colloid, a dielectric material, a paste, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         63 . The method according to  claim 60 , wherein the image-forming material is a metal. 
     
     
         64 . The method according to  claim 63 , wherein the metal is one or more of the group of silver, gold, copper, titanium, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         65 . The method according to  claim 60 , wherein the image-forming material is applied to the heat sensitive thermoplastic receptive material by one or more method comprising sputter coating, evaporation, chemical vapor deposition, pattern transfer, micro-contact printing or printing. 
     
     
         66 . The method according to  claim 60 , wherein the heat sensitive thermoplastic receptive material is uni-axially biased to shrink along one axis or dimension. 
     
     
         67 . The method according to  claim 60 , wherein the image-forming material heated under conditions to achieve a height of the image-forming material greater than about 25 micrometers. 
     
     
         68 . The method according to  claim 60 , further comprising repeating step a) two or more times prior to performing step b). 
     
     
         69 . The method according to  claim 68 , wherein the one or more microfluidic channels are of varying depths. 
     
     
         70 . The method according to  claim 60 , wherein the height of the one or more microfluidic channels is from about 15 to about 120 micrometers. 
     
     
         71 . The method according to  claim 60 , wherein the thermoplastic material is polystyrene. 
     
     
         72 . The method according to  claim 60 , wherein the lithography of step c) refers to soft lithography or imprint lithography. 
     
     
         73 . A method to prepare a textured metal surface, comprising the steps of:
 a) depositing a metal onto a heat sensitive thermoplastic receptive material; and   b) reducing the material by at least about 60%;   thereby preparing a textured metal surface.   
     
     
         74 . The method of  claim 73 , wherein the heat sensitive thermoplastic material is uni-axially biased prior to performing steps a) and b). 
     
     
         75 . The method of  claim 73 , wherein the metal is deposited by sputter coating, evaporation or chemical vapor deposition. 
     
     
         76 . The method of  claim 73 , wherein the metal is deposited in a thickness from about 2 nanometers to about 100 nanometers. 
     
     
         77 . The method of  claim 73 , wherein the metal comprises one or more of the group of silver, gold or copper. 
     
     
         78 . The method of  claim 73 , wherein the material is reduced to achieve a surface texture in the range of from about 100 nanometers to about 5 micrometers. 
     
     
         79 . The method of  claim 73 , wherein the thermoplastic material is polystyrene. 
     
     
         80 . The method of  claim 73 , wherein the metal is deposited in a desired pattern. 
     
     
         81 . The method of  claim 73 , wherein the heat sensitive thermoplastic material is reduced by heating. 
     
     
         82 . A method of propagating waves, comprising irradiating a device comprising a heat-shrunk thermoplastic base having a textured metal surface, wherein the textured metal surface has a height from about 50 nanometers to about 5 micrometers. 
     
     
         83 . The method of  claim 82 , wherein the metal is at least one of silver, gold or copper.