The University of Texas System

Zhuojie Wu

Paul S Ho

Salomon A Stavchansky

Zhiquan Luo

Ashish Rastogi

Phillip Bowman

The disclosure relates to a method for forming a nanoscale structure by forming a pattern on a selectively etched layer located on top of a substrate using lithography, wherein the pattern results a gap having sidewalls, performing RIE on the gap having sidewalls, wherein RIE results in the formation of a self-aligned mask on the bottom wall of the gap with unprotected regions on the bottom wall of the gap near the junctions with the sidewalls, and wet etching the gap having a self-aligned mask and unprotected regions to remove the substrate under the unprotected regions to form a nanoscale structure in the substrate. The disclosure also relates to a nanoscale structure array including a plurality of nanotrenches, nanochannels or nanofins having a width of 50 nm or less and an average variation in width of 5% or less along the entire length of each nanotrench, nanochannel or nanofin.

Self-aligned masks and methods of use

A method of making an injectable or implantable active agent delivery device capable of delivering a diagnostic, therapeutic, and/or prophylactic agent to a desired targeted site having orifice(s) on the surface is disclosed herein providing unidirectional release of the agent at a controlled desirable rate. The agent may include, but is not limited to, drugs, proteins, peptides, biomarkers, bioanalytes, and/or genetic material. The technology of the invention is based on parallel processing to fabricate micro-holes on tubes employing photo-lithography and reactive ion etching techniques and also incorporates a simple molding method to form the micro-holes on flexible polymer tubes, including bio-degradable tubes. The parallel processing method of the instant invention is fast, economical and well suited for mass production. The developed device, due to its composite structure, has the ability to combine several release mechanisms, leading to zero-order release kinetics for most of the time.

Growing community of inventors

Austin, TX, United States of America

Zhuojie Wu