Nanostructured silicon for bio-medical applications

We have developed a process for fabricating reproducible nanostructured silicon materials at low temperatures (<100C) using high density plasma chemical vapor deposition. These films have a column/void network morphology and they can be deposited on glass, on plastics, on metal foils, or even on substrates with previously existing, completed structures or circuits. The films have absorption properties that qualify them for the description "molecular Velcro™ ". In addition their optical properties can be tailored and they can have very low reflectance with high absorption in the UV. These films can easily be chemically modified and functionalized. In this report we discuss the deposition and morphology of these films. We also outline several bio-medical applications: substrates for cell growth, substrates for mass analysis for proteomics, and sacrificial layer applications for nano-and micro-channel and reaction chamber formation.