X-ray lithography and small-angle X-ray scattering: a combination of techniques merging biology and materials science

Abstract

The advent of micro/nanotechnology has blurred the border between biology and materials science. Miniaturization of chemical and biological assays, performed by use of micro/nanofluidics, requires both careful selection of the methods of fabrication and the development of materials designed for specific applications. This, in turn, increases the need for interdisciplinary combination of suitable microfabrication and characterisation techniques. In this review, the advantages of combining X-ray lithography, as fabrication technique, with small-angle X-ray scattering measurements will be discussed. X-ray lithography enables the limitations of small-angle X-ray scattering, specifically time resolution and sample environment, to be overcome. Small-angle X-ray scattering, on the other hand, enables investigation and, consequently, adjustment of the nanostructural morphology of microstructures and materials fabricated by X-ray lithography. Moreover, the effect of X-ray irradiation on novel materials can be determined by use of small-angle X-ray scattering. The combination of top-down and bottom-up methods to develop new functional materials and structures with potential in biology will be reported.

Microfluidic devices for small-angle neutron scattering

“…Thermoplastic polymers, such as PS, PMMA and PC, soften above their glass transition temperature (T g ) and microdevices can be fabricated by moulding under pressure, or shaped by other techniques including laser ablation. PMMA and cycloolefin-copolymer (COC) devices with wall thicknesses of 130-250 mm, and polyimide (Kapton) devices with a thickness of 75 mm, have been fabricated by hot embossing and laser ablation, respectively, and used in SAXS experiments (Metwally et al, 2012;Marmiroli & Amenitsch, 2012;Dhouib et al, 2009). A disadvantage of polymers such as PMMA is their incompatibility with a number of organic solvents, while Kapton on the other hand offers excellent solvent compatibility.…”

Planar Bioadhesive Microdevices: A New Technology for Oral Drug Delivery

“…One such technique, X-ray lithography, uses electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths ranging from 0.5 to 4 nm and is capable of achieving resolutions approaching 20 nm [80–82]. Similar to UV lithography, X-ray lithography uses an X-ray source such as a synchrotron or laser-induced plasma generator to irradiate X-ray-sensitive material through an X-ray absorbing mask [80, 82]. Maskless lithography techniques, including electron beam, ion beam, and dip-pen lithography are also available for nanofabrication.…”

Functionalized Mesoporous Thin Films for Biotechnology

“…Other methods consist of the thermal treatment at low temperature followed by the extraction of the template with an adequate solvent [ 38 , 39 ] or via UV-O 3 processing [ 40 ]. Furthermore, top-down techniques like UV lithography [ 41 , 42 , 43 ], Electron Beam Lithography [ 44 ] and more recently X-ray irradiation [ 36 , 45 , 46 ] allow both the consolidation and the patterning of the mesoporous structure, in order to enable the precise positioning of mesoporous areas on the substrate for the design and fabrication of novel kind of microdevices.…”