Polymeric Micro-channel-based Functionalisation System for Micro-Cantilevers

A micro-channel system intended for functionalising micro-cantilevers used for biochemical detection has been designed, realised and characterised. The chip is fabricated in the resist SU-8, which is a photosensitive polymer offering a fast, cost-efficient and easy processing. Cantilevers present a new platform for biochemical detection with a high sensitivity. This micro-channel system is used for treating such a cantilever array with probe molecules prior to detection and it can also be used as the analysis set-up. The design of the micro-channel system provides a simple way of coating separate sections of a cantilever array with different probe molecules. The use of this channel system eliminates the time-consuming step of addressing each cantilever individually to obtain an array functionalised with different probe molecules. Using this micro-channel system in combination with a cantilever array establishes a method of detecting multiple target molecules simultaneously. Fluorescence experiments have been performed to show the working principle of the micro-channel system in combination with a cantilever array. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.