Laser‐scanning lithography (LSL) for the soft lithographic patterning of cell‐adhesive self‐assembled monolayers

We report the development of laser‐scanning lithography (LSL), which employs a laser‐scanning confocal microscope to pattern photoresists that can be utilized, for example, in the fabrication of masters for use in soft lithography. This convenient technique provides even exposure across the entire view field and facilitates accurate alignment of successive photoresist exposures. Features on the scale of 3 µm have been achieved to date with a 10× objective (NA 0.45). Virtual masks, instructions for laser irradiation, were drawn using the Region of Interest (ROI) function of a Zeiss LSM 510 microscope. These regions were then exposed to a 458 nm argon laser for 32 µs (0.9 mW/µm2). Differential interference contrast (DIC) imaging was utilized with a non‐destructive 514 nm argon laser as an immediate quality check of each exposure, to align successive exposures, and to reduce chromatic aberration between imaging and exposure. Developed masters were replica‐molded with poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS); these masters were then utilized for microcontact printing of cell‐adhesive self‐assembled monolayers (SAMs) to demonstrate the utility of this process. Initial studies confirmed that human dermal fibroblast adhesion and spreading were limited to cell‐adhesive SAM areas. LSL is a rapid, flexible, and readily available technique that will accelerate master design and preparation; moreover, it can be applied to additional forms of photolithography and photopolymerization for studies in cell biology, biomaterials design and evaluation, materials science, and surface chemistry. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.