Abstract: This invention presents a method for the fabrication of periodic nanostructures on polymeric surfaces by means of plasma processing, which method comprises the following steps: (i) provision of a homogeneous organic polymer (such as PMMA, or PET, or PEEK, or PS, or PE, or COC) or inorganic polymer (such as PDMS or ORMOCER); (ii) exposure of the polymer to an etching plasma such as oxygen (O2) or sulphur hexafluoride (SF6) or a mixture of oxygen (O2) and sulphur hexafluoride (SF6), or mixtures of etching gases with inert gases such as any Noble gas (Ar, He, Ne, Xe).

Abstract: This invention provides a method for protein patterning and fabrication of biomolecule microarrays, based on the selective biomolecule adsorption on hydrophilic versus hydrophobic patterns created by selective plasma deposition of fluorocarbon film.

Abstract: This invention provides a method for the fabrication of surfaces of high surface area ratio on polymeric/plastic materials, and their application in the control of the wetting properties of surfaces, of the transport of liquids on such fabricated surfaces, or of the separation of liquids in microchannels of said surfaces. The fabrication of surfaces of high surface area ratio comprises the following steps: (a) selection of a polymer/plastic layer which contains two or more components differing in their plasma etching behaviour (b) exposure of said polymer/plastic layer to an etching plasma to provide selective removal of one polymer component versus a second plasma-resistant component so as to result in a randomly rough columnar-like surface. In addition, exposure of the said surface to an oxidizing plasma or to a fluorocarbon. depositing plasma renders the surface fully hydrophilic or en super-hydrophobic, respectively.

Abstract: This invention provides a front side silicon micromachining process for the fabrication of suspended Porous Silicon membranes in the form of bridges or cantilevers and of thermal sensor devices employing these membranes. The fabrication of the suspended Porous Silicon membranes comprises the following steps: (a) formation of a Porous Silicon layer (2) in, at least one, predefined area of a Silicon substrate (1), (b) definition of etch windows (5) around or inside said Porous Silicon layer (2) using standard photolithography and (c) selective etching of the silicon substrate (1), underneath the Porous Silicon layer (2), by using dry etching techniques to provide release of the Porous Silicon membrane and to form a cavity (6) under the said Porous Silicon layer.