Silicon Fibrous Projections for Cellular Sensor Hydrophilicity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional silicon structures used in cellular electrophysiological sensors face challenges in achieving both hydrophilicity and water retentivity, particularly in restricted areas, leading to decreased measurement accuracy due to bubble formation and organic matter adherence, which affects electrical conduction and ion-channel activity measurements.
Innovation Solution
A silicon structure with fibrous projections made of silicon dioxide is formed on the surface, providing a large surface area that maintains hydrophilicity and water retentivity by direct joining of these projections to the silicon substrate, reducing bubble formation and enhancing measurement accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a thin film of inorganic oxide is formed on the silicon surface by sputtering to make it hydrophilic, then hydrophilicity is improved, but water retentivity cannot be achieved and the treatment is difficult to apply to restricted specific areas
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by forming fibrous projections only in specific restricted areas of the silicon surface where hydrophilicity or water retentivity is required. The fibrous projections are not uniformly distributed across the entire surface but are localized to specific regions, allowing different areas to have different surface properties as needed for the sensor function.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a two-dimensional thin film coating to a three-dimensional fibrous projection structure. By growing vertical fibrous projections from the silicon surface, the effective surface area is dramatically increased, providing both hydrophilicity and water retentivity that cannot be achieved with conventional thin film sputtering.
2Measurement precision
If conventional silicon structures are used in cellular electrophysiological sensors, then measurement accuracy is maintained initially, but bubble formation and organic matter adherence occur over time, decreasing measurement accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a porous fibrous projection structure made of silicon dioxide on the silicon surface. This porous morphology increases surface area and creates capillary effects that prevent bubble formation and reduce organic matter adherence, thereby maintaining measurement accuracy over time while improving reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite structure combining silicon base material with silicon dioxide fibrous projections. This composite morphology provides both the mechanical stability of silicon and the surface properties of silicon dioxide that resist bubble formation and organic matter adherence, maintaining long-term measurement precision.
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 silicon structure with fibrous projections significantly improves measurement accuracy by maintaining hydrophilicity and water retentivity, reducing bubble formation, and preventing organic matter adherence, thus enhancing the reliability of cellular electrophysiological sensor measurements.
Implementation Method 1
fibrous projections made of silicon dioxide on a silicon-made surface... providing a large surface area for enhanced hydrophilicity and water retentivity
Implementation Method 2
hydrophilicity and water retentivity... reducing bubble formation
Implementation Method 3
providing a large surface area for enhanced hydrophilicity and water retentivity, reducing bubble formation and improving measurement accuracy by preventing organic matter adherence
Data Source
AI summary
A silicon structure of the present invention is provided with a silicon substrate (1) to become a base, and a plurality of fibrous projections (2) made of silicon dioxide and directly joined to a silicon-made surface (1a) of the silicon substrate (1). By arbitrarily constructing an area where these fibrous projections (2) are formed in a predetermined area, it is possible to render the area to have at least either hydrophilicity or water retentivity, so as to provide a silicon structure useful for a variety of devices.