Ablation based laser machining of biomolecule patterns on substrates

1. A method for patterning one or more biomolecules on a substrate, the method comprising:

coating the substrate with the one or more biomolecules;

applying a focused laser onto the one or more biomolecules; and

ablating a portion of the one or more biomolecules with the laser in a predetermined pattern, the predetermined pattern having one or more ablated portions and one or more non-ablated portions on the substrate, the one or more ablated portions having one or more predetermined ranges of biological function or activity from less than 100% functional or less than 100% active to 0% functional or 0% active or the one or more ablated portions having one or more predetermined ranges of biochemical function or activity from less than 100% functional or less than 100% active to 0% functional or 0% active, and the one or more non-ablated portions having one or more active or functional biomolecules of the one or more biomolecules on the substrate; and wherein

one or more ablated portions having at least one dimension in the plane of the substrate from at least about 0.1 nanometer, at least about 1 nanometer, at least about 10 nanometers, at least about 100 nanometers, or at least about 250 nanometers to about 1 meter; and

the one or more non-ablated portions having at least one dimension in the plane of the substrate from at least about 0.1 nanometer, at least about 1 nanometer, at least about 10 nanometers, at least about 100 nanometers, or at least about 250 nanometers to about 1 meter.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ablating comprises breaking at least one covalent bond of the one or more biomolecules.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein ablating comprises ablating a portion of the one or more biomolecules with the laser in the predetermined pattern by removing at least one atom from one or more biomolecules and at most 100% of the atoms of one or more biomolecules, wherein the ablating of the one or more biomolecules does not substantially destroy or damage the one or more biomolecules or remove the one or more biomolecules to a depth of more than 1 nanometer, more than 3 nanometers, more than 5 nanometers, more than 10 nanometers, more than 25 nanometers, more than 50 nanometers, more than 100 nanometers, more than 500 nanometers, more than 1 micrometer, more than 5 micrometers, more than 10 micrometers, more than 50 micrometers, or more than 100 micrometers from a point in an area irradiated by the laser.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein applying the laser further comprises positioning the substrate in one, two, or three dimensions to form the predetermined pattern.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more biomolecules are selected from the group consisting of proteins, peptides, nucleic acids, drugs, lipids, bioactive polymers, bioactive compounds, and any combination thereof.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more of biomolecules are attached to a particle or colloid selected from the group consisting of quantum dots, superparamagnetic nanoparticles, dendrimers, glass or silica particles, liposomes, viruses or phage particles and analogous particles, and any combination thereof.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the substrate is selected from the group consisting of glass, polymeric material, silicon, plastic, rubber, metal, ceramic, any material that is not substantially destroyed or damaged by the laser, and any combination thereof, and wherein the any material that is not substantially destroyed or damaged by the laser comprises material that is not substantially destroyed or damaged when laser irradiation of an area of substrate removes material to a depth of more than 1 nanometer, more than 3 nanometer, more than 5 nanometers, more than 10 nanometers, more than 25 nanometers, more than 50 nanometers, more than 100 nanometers, more than 500 nanometers, more than 1 micrometer, more than 5 micrometers, more than 10 micrometers, more than 50 micrometers, or more than 100 micrometers from a point in an area irradiated by the laser.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein coating the substrate comprises attaching the one or more biomolecules on the substrate by a method selected from the group consisting of covalently attaching to the substrate, adsorbing to the substrate, attaching via a coupling molecule of varying length, electrostatically attaching to the substrate, hydrophobically attaching to the substrate, sterically attaching to the substrate, entropically attaching to the substrate, and any combination thereof.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein coating the substrate comprises coating a non-uniform or prepatterned substrate.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the laser removes at least one of the one or more biomolecules at a first dose and inactivates at least one of the one or more biomolecules at a second dose, and wherein the second dose is lower than the first dose.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein ablating comprises patterning a portion of the one or more biomolecules of one type of biomolecule in a combination of two or more types of biomolecules.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined pattern contains a gradient of inactivated biomolecules, a gradient of removed biomolecules, or a combination of gradients of inactivated and removed biomolecules.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the substrate is translucent, wherein applying the laser comprises applying the laser through an exterior side of the substrate onto an opposing interior side of the substrate, wherein the interior side of the substrate has the one or more biomolecules applied thereon, and wherein said molecules are partially or fully ablated in the predetermined pattern.

14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising backfilling the one or more ablated portions with a second one or more biomolecules.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more biomolecules are in a dry environment, hydrated by a layer of liquid, in an aqueous solvent environment, or in a non-aqueous solvent environment.