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Non-Confidential Disclosures

“Replication Technique for Biological Templates at the Micro- and Nanoscales”

PSU Inv. Disc. No 3420
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Keywords

Infrared Optics, Visible Optics, Optoelectronics, Semiconductors, Biomimetics, Photodiodes, Solar Power

Inventors:

Raul J. Martin-Palma, Akhlesh Lakhtakia, Carlo G. Pantano

Links:

Background:

Mimetization of biological structures aims to take advantage of their spatial features for novel materials and devices with desirable functionalities. Biomimetic structures such as compound eyes have enormous potential for medicine, industry and security. However, the exact replication of biological structures by conventional methods is, in general, very difficult because they often require elevated temperatures or exposure to chemical agents or mechanical stress. Replication based on deposition of thin films is most promising but deposition methods have limited ability to produce conformal coatings on curved substrates with nano- or micro-scale features.

Invention description:

The Penn State inventors have made a novel, highly reproducible (90-95%) and low cost deposition process to successfully replicate nanostructured biotemplates (planar or curved). The structure is exact and does not require inversion. This technique is capable of replicating micron- and nano-scale features over a flat or curved surface of a biotemplate. The researchers demonstrated this technique with the compound eye of a common fruit fly as the biotemplate. Other templates used by them include the wings of butterflies, wings of flies, entire flies, leaves, and feathers of birds. The technique represents modifications to an existing deposition process more commonly used for non-biological substrates. This Penn State process was implemented at room temperature without hazardous chemicals, and which preserved the integrity of the underlying biological substrate.

Advantages:

Replicates the spatial features of a curved, micro- and nano-structured biotemplate.
Experimental results show no disturbance of the original structure or observable structure created by the deposition process. As examples, two very different structures, namely the compound eye of a fly and the wing of a butterfly, are shown in Figures 1 and 2.
Process fabricates inorganic replicas of biotemplates, which is highly reliable, high fidelity, and low cost.
Large growth rate technique could allow for the growth of more efficient, light focusing/collecting solar cell covers and other energy-harvesting structures as well as lenses offering good spatial resolution and wider field of vision than today's technology offers.
Applications for photodiodes might be of interest, including horizon sensors used in satellite orientation systems and solar tracking systems for solar cells.
Other potential applications include: environmental sensing, high-speed motion detectors, surveillance and medical procedures that require cameras, such as endoscopies and image-guided surgeries, as well as a number of clinical treatments that can be controlled by implanted light delivery devices.

Contact:

Matthew Smith
Sr. Technology Licensing Officer
Intellectual Property Office
113 Technology Center
The Pennsylvania State Univ.
University Park, PA 16802-7000
Phone: (814) 863-1212
Fax: (814) 865-3591
E-mail:mds126@psu.edu