Surface Modification of Si₃N₄-Coated Silicon Plate for Investigation of Living Cells

Abstract

We report a simple new method to improve the cell adhesion ability on the Si 3 N 4 surface. Light-addressable potentiometric sensors (LAPS) have become a powerful tool for studying the biological action of cells. The Si 3 N 4 surface of a LAPS structure was coated with poly-L-ornithine and laminin to improve its cell adhesion ability. The thickness of the coated layer was very thin, about 4 nm, as determined by atomic force microscopy measurement and thus this treatment surface is suitable for biological sensing applications such as the detection of cell activities.

Molecular fluorescence from H2TBP porphyrin film on Ag substrate excited by tunneling electrons

“…The H 2 TBPP [11] films were prepared by spin-casting from 6 mg/15 ml solution of H 2 TBPP in chloroform (CHCl 3 ) at a spin velocity 2000 rpm under ambient condition. The thickness of films is controlled by the times of dropping H 2 TBPP solution, and determined by atomic force microscopy (AFM) using scratching method [12]. The topographies of the films were characterized by AFM (Digital Instrument IIIa) in Tapping mode.…”

Substrate effect of STM-induced luminescence from porphyrin molecules

“…The organic films on Ag, Pt and Cu substrates were spun from a 0.81 mM solution of H 2 TBPP in chloroform (CHCl 3 ) at a spin velocity of 2000 rpm. The thickness of films was estimated to be about 8 nm by atomic force microscopy (AFM) using scratching method [15]. The topographies of the films were characterized by STM (DI Nanoscope E).…”

Localized chemical release from an artificial synapse chip

“…Because the PC12 cells used here do not readily adhere to silicon nitride, we treated the chips before seeding with cells (17). A droplet of poly(D-lysine) at 50 g͞ml was placed over the silicon-nitride window for 30 min at room temperature.…”