Method for producing a colorimetric resonant reflection biosensor on rigid surfaces

1. A method for casting a colorimetric resonant reflection biosensor structure comprising:

(a) applying a liquid or semi-solid material that is capable of being transformed or cured into a flexible master structure over a rigid colorimetric resonant reflection biosensor master structure;

(b) transforming or curing the liquid or semi-solid material into a flexible master structure, wherein the flexible master structure has the rigid colorimetric resonant reflection biosensor master structure embossed into a first surface of the flexible master structure; and

(c) peeling the flexible master structure from the rigid colorimetric resonant reflection biosensor master structure;

(d) pressing the flexible master structure into a liquid or semi-solid layer, wherein the liquid or semi-solid layer is on a rigid substrate; and

(e) transforming or curing the liquid or semi-solid layer into a solid layer; whereby a colorimetric resonant reflection biosensor structure is casted.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the rigid colorimetric resonant reflection biosensor master structure is etched into a silicon or glass wafer surface.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the flexible master structure comprises a grating pattern selected from the group consisting of squares, triangles, sinusoidal waves, inverted “u” shapes, lines, circles, ellipses, trapezoids, ovals, rectangles, hexagons, phase-quantized terraced surface relief patterns whose groove pattern resembles a stepped pyramid, and concentric rings.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the flexible master structure comprises a grating pattern having a periodic spacing of between about 0.1 microns to about 2.0 microns.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the flexible master structure comprises a submicron grating pattern.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the grating pattern has a periodic spacing of between about 0.2 microns to about 0.6 microns.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising removing the flexible master structure from the solid layer.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising depositing a high refractive index dielectric film over the solid layer.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising immobilizing one or more specific binding substances on the high refractive index dielectric film.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein an adhesion-enhancing film is applied to the rigid colorimetric resonant reflection biosensor master structure before the liquid or semi-solid material that is capable of being transformed or cured into a flexible master structure is applied over the rigid colorimetric resonant reflection biosensor master structure.