Micromachining of non-fouling coatings for bio-MEMS applications

Standard photolithography is used to pattern a poly (ethylene glycol) (PEG)-like polymer onto silicon substrates. The coating has excellent non-fouling properties and good adhesion to various substrate materials, such as silicon, oxide, nitride, gold, and platinum. This method allows precise control of the shape, size and alignment of the polymer, thus providing a reliable tool to pattern protein sheets as well as cell cultures. This method also enables the incorporation of patterned cell cultures with various predefined elements such as electrodes, channels, and sensors. To demonstrate the properties of our technique, we apply it to build cell cultures and to protect metallic electrodes from protein and cell adhesion. We show that the thin coatings provide excellent protection without compromising the conductivity of the electrodes.