Micro- and Nanofabrication
The Micro- and Nanofabrication group develops new fabrication techniques for new materials to create functional surfaces and devices. Cleanroom based silicon microfabrication is a core competency of the group, but we also have projects outside the cleanroom for a wider range of materials and fabrication techniques.
Silicon micro- and nanofabrication
Microchips are the backbone of everything in modern society. Microchips are made by silicon microfabrication. We utilize the cleanroom facilities at Micronova to teach and study microfabrication processes. Main techniques used are lithography (UV lithography, mask-aligner or maskless, e-beam lithography), silicon etching, CVD and PVD thin film deposition and integration. Examples of applications are model surfaces (controlled size, height and spacing of features) and microelectrode arrays for electrochemical sensing.
Functional Surfaces
The interaction between a surface and its surroundings depends on the topography and chemistry of the surface. We are focusing on the interaction between a solid surface and liquids. We fabricate the topography and chemistry of the surface and study how the surface interacts. Examples of research topics are: 1. Bio-repellent surfaces that repel proteins, cells and even blood. 2. Self-cleaning surfaces to improve efficiency of solar panels. 3. Anti-icing surfaces.
Microfluidics
Microfluidics means the science and engineering needed to control small volumes of liquid, typically from µl down to nl, pl and fl. You can think of microfluidics as being for liquids what microelectronics is for electrons. The group fabricates microfluidic channels typically from polymers: PDMS, SU-8, Ostemer, Polyurethanes. We work with collaborators to utilize microfluidics for example for bacterial trapping, neuron guidance and extracellular vesicle isolation.
Medical devices
Diagnostics benefits from miniaturization: lower sample volumes can be used, less is lost to nonspecific adsorption, and new detection possibilities arise the micro- and nanoscale. Miniaturized diagnostic devices can be small, cheap and simple to use, which makes them ideal for point-of-care diagnostics. Micro- and nanofabricated research devices are also increasingly needed in medical research laboratories to achieve progress in drug development and understanding of diseases.