Curable Resin Composition With Low Autofluorescence
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Solution Overview
Problem
Nanoimprint lithography resins exhibit undesirable autofluorescence under violet and blue excitation wavelengths, which increases background noise and decreases signal-to-noise ratios in fluorescent-based bioanalytical applications.
Innovation Solution
Resin compositions comprising (meth)acrylate cyclosiloxane monomers and non-siloxane (meth)acrylate monomers, with or without specific initiators, are used to minimize autofluorescence by eliminating initiator decomposition by-products, thereby enhancing signal resolution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional resin compositions with photoinitiators are used in nanoimprint lithography, then the resin can be effectively cured, but the initiator decomposition by-products cause high autofluorescence under violet and blue excitation wavelengths
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes photoinitiators from the resin composition entirely, extracting the source of autofluorescence (initiator decomposition by-products) while maintaining curing capability through alternative mechanisms such as cationic ring-opening polymerization of cyclic carbonate monomers that do not require traditional photoinitiators or use initiators with minimal autofluorescence interference
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of the resin system by selecting specific monomers (cyclic carbonates, cyclic carboxylic acid lactones) and curing agents that inherently produce minimal autofluorescence, and by adjusting resin formulation to eliminate or minimize components that generate autofluorescence under violet/blue excitation
2Illumination intensity
If resins with high autofluorescence are used, then the background noise increases, but this decreases the signal-to-noise ratio and makes signal detection difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful effect of autofluorescence into a beneficial outcome by selecting resin components and curing mechanisms that naturally minimize autofluorescence emission, thereby transforming a previously problematic characteristic into a advantageous property for fluorescent detection applications
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The resin compositions achieve low or no autofluorescence under violet and blue excitation wavelengths, improving signal-to-noise ratios and enabling clearer signal detection in bioanalytical applications.
Implementation Method 1
The material is cured while the stamp is in place to lock the shape of the nanostructures in the material
Data Source
AI summary
Some of the resin compositions are ultraviolet light or thermally curable, while others are ultraviolet light curable. One example of the ultraviolet light or thermally curable resin composition consists of a predetermined mass ratio of a (meth)acrylate cyclosiloxane monomer and a non-siloxane (meth)acrylate based monomer ranging from about >0:<100 to about 80:20; from 0 mass % to about 10 mass %, based on a total solids content of the resin composition, of an initiator selected from the group consisting of an azo-initiator, an acetophenone, a phosphine oxide, a brominated aromatic acrylate, and a dithiocarbamate; a surface additive; and a solvent.