Fabrication and Characterization of Nanofluidics Device Using Fused Silica for Single Protein Molecule Detection

Fabrication of nanofluidic devices was carried out and the devices were characterized. These devices will be used to trap, manipulate and detect single protein molecules in nanometer size channels in a laser fluorescence spectroscopy process to investigate dynamical and photophysical behavior of single molecules. On the substrate of fused silica (SiO2) glass wafers, Electron Beam Lithography (EBL) was used to pattern nanochannels, and normal photolithography methods were used to fabricate microchannels to link nanochannels with the source molecular solution through syringes and tubing. The microchannels and nanochannels on a glass chip were sealed by a blank chip in a fusion bonding process to complete the chip level device. Un-bonded microchannels and nanochannels were characterized using SEM. Processing parameters including electron dose and etch conditions were elucidated for their impact on channel dimensions. Preliminary laser fluorescence results are also presented to demonstrate that unclogged channels were fabricated successfully in the nanofluidics devices.