AVS 53rd International Symposium
    Plasma Science and Technology Thursday Sessions
       Session PS1+BI-ThM

Paper PS1+BI-ThM2
Patterning of Plasma Polymers for Bioarrays

Thursday, November 16, 2006, 8:20 am, Room 2009

Session: Plasmas in Bioscience
Presenter: G. Mishra, University of Sheffield, UK
Authors: G. Mishra, University of Sheffield, UK
S.L. McArthur, University of Sheffield, UK
Correspondent: Click to Email
Protein arrays are solid-phase ligand binding assay systems. They require the immobilisation of proteins on a range of surfaces which include glass, Si wafers and a range of polymers. The assays are highly parallel (multiplexed) and often miniaturised (microarrays, protein chips). Their advantages include being rapid and automatable, capable of high sensitivity, economical on reagents, and giving an abundance of data for a single experiment. Plasma polymerisation presents a versatile approach to surface modification of these devices. The range of monomers available for plasma polymerisation makes this approach even more suitable for use in systems where multiple coatings with specific properties are required for a single device. This project investigates the use of plasma polymerisation to produce arrays with a range of chemical functionalities. The ability to spatially define reactive regions is integral to the project. The challenge lies in simultaneously obtaining high spatial and chemical resolution. In this study we use a range of patterning techniques including photolithography and physical masks and compare the resultant pattern resolution and chemical functionality using XPS, ToF-SIMS and AFM. The results highlight the complexities introduced by the gas phase deposition process and the undercutting that can occur with the physical masks. The issue of compatibility of reactive plasma polymers with the photolithographic process is an important aspect under scrutiny. Our results suggest that complex multilayer layered plasma coatings can be produced without compromising chemical properties of deposits.