Flow cells and methods for making the same

1 . A method, comprising:

sputtering or thermally evaporating a metal material over a transparent substrate including depressions separated by interstitial regions, thereby forming a metal film having a first thickness over the interstitial regions and having a second thickness over the depressions, the second thickness being about 30 nm or less and being at least 10 nm thinner than the first thickness;

depositing a light sensitive material over the metal film;

utilizing the metal film to pattern the light sensitive material through the transparent substrate to define an altered light sensitive material at a first predetermined region over the transparent substrate; and

utilizing the altered light sensitive material to generate a functionalized layer at the first predetermined region or at a second predetermined region over the transparent substrate.

2 . The method as defined in claim 1 , wherein:

the light sensitive material is a positive photoresist;

the positive photoresist is deposited in direct contact with the metal film;

utilizing the metal film to pattern the light sensitive material involves exposing the positive photoresist to light through the transparent substrate, whereby portions of the positive photoresist overlying the depressions become soluble, and portions of the positive photoresist overlying the interstitial regions define an insoluble positive photoresist;

the insoluble positive photoresist is the altered light sensitive material;

the interstitial regions are the first predetermined region; and

the depressions are the second predetermined region.

3 . The method as defined in claim 2 , wherein utilizing the altered light sensitive material to generate the functionalized layer at the second predetermined region involves:

etching the metal film from the depressions;

depositing the functionalized layer over the insoluble positive photoresist and the depressions; and

removing the insoluble positive photoresist and the metal film.

4 . The method as defined in claim 1 , wherein prior to depositing the light sensitive material over the metal film, the method further comprises:

depositing a protective layer in direct contact with the metal film; and

depositing a gel material in direct contact with the protective layer.

5 . The method as defined in claim 4 , wherein:

the light sensitive material is a negative photoresist;

the negative photoresist is deposited in direct contact with the gel material;

utilizing the metal film to pattern the light sensitive material involves exposing the negative photoresist to light through the transparent substrate, whereby portions of the negative photoresist overlying the depressions define an insoluble negative photoresist, and portions of the negative photoresist overlying the interstitial regions become soluble;

the insoluble negative photoresist is the altered light sensitive material; and

the depressions are the first predetermined region.

6 . The method as defined in claim 5 , wherein utilizing the altered light sensitive material to generate the functionalized layer at the first predetermined region involves:

dry etching the gel material, the protective layer, and the metal film from the interstitial regions, whereby the gel material remaining in the depressions is the functionalized layer; and

removing the insoluble negative photoresist.

7 . The method as defined in claim 4 , wherein the protective layer is an inorganic material including surface groups to attach to the gel material.

8 . The method as defined in claim 4 , further comprising activating the protective layer by silanization or plasma ashing, thus introducing surface groups to attach to the gel material.

9 . The method as defined in claim 1 , wherein prior to depositing the light sensitive material over the metal film, the method further comprises depositing a transparent resin in direct contact with the metal film.

10 . The method as defined in claim 9 , wherein:

the light sensitive material is a positive photoresist;

the positive photoresist is deposited in direct contact with the transparent resin; and

utilizing the metal film to pattern the light sensitive material involves exposing the positive photoresist to light through the transparent substrate, whereby portions of the positive photoresist overlying the depressions becomes soluble, and portions of the positive photoresist overlying the interstitial regions define an insoluble positive photoresist;

the insoluble positive photoresist is the altered light sensitive material;

portions of the transparent resin overlying the interstitial regions are the first predetermined region; and

portions of the transparent resin overlying the depressions are the second predetermined region.

11 . The method as defined in claim 10 , wherein utilizing the altered light sensitive material to generate the functionalized layer at the second predetermined region involves:

depositing the functionalized layer over the insoluble positive photoresist and the second predetermined region; and

removing the insoluble positive photoresist.

12 . The method as defined in claim 1 , wherein prior to depositing the light sensitive material over the metal film, the method further comprises depositing a protective layer in direct contact with the metal film.

13 . The method as defined in claim 12 , wherein:

the light sensitive material is a light curable resin;

the light curable resin is deposited in direct contact with the protective layer;

utilizing the metal film to pattern the light sensitive material involves exposing the light curable resin to light through the transparent substrate, whereby portions of the light curable resin overlying the depressions are cured, and portions of the light curable resin overlying the interstitial regions remain uncured; and

the method further comprises removing the uncured portions of the light curable resin, thereby exposing the protective layer at the interstitial regions.

14 . The method as defined in claim 13 , wherein utilizing the altered light sensitive material to generate the functionalized layer at the first predetermined region involves depositing the functionalized layer, whereby the functionalized layer attaches to the cured portions of the light curable resin and does not attach to the protective layer at the interstitial regions.

15 . The method as defined in claim 1 , wherein:

each of the depressions is a multi-depth depression including a deep portion and a shallow portion adjacent to the deep portion;

the metal film is generated over the deep portion of each multi-depth depression and the shallow portion of each multi-depth depression;

the metal film over the deep portion of each multi-depth depression has the second thickness; and

the metal film over the shallow portion of each multi-depth depression has a third thickness that is less than the first thickness and greater than the second thickness.

16 . The method as defined in claim 15 , wherein:

the light sensitive material is a positive photoresist;

the positive photoresist is deposited in direct contact with the metal film;

utilizing the metal film to pattern the light sensitive material involves exposing the positive photoresist to light through the transparent substrate, whereby portions of the positive photoresist overlying the deep portion of each multi-depth depression become soluble, and portions of the positive photoresist overlying the shallow of each multi-depth depression and overlying the interstitial regions define an insoluble positive photoresist;

the insoluble positive photoresist is the altered light sensitive material;

the shallow portion of each multi-depth depression and the interstitial regions are the first predetermined region; and

the deep portion of each multi-depth depression is the second predetermined region.

17 . The method as defined in claim 16 , wherein utilizing the altered light sensitive material to generate the functionalized layer at the first predetermined region involves:

etching the metal film from the deep portion of each multi-depth depression; and

depositing the functionalized layer over the insoluble positive photoresist and the deep portion of each multi-depth depression.

18 . The method as defined in claim 17 , further comprising:

removing the insoluble positive photoresist, thereby exposing the metal film over the shallow portion of each multi-depth depression and over the interstitial regions;

patterning a negative photoresist to form an insoluble negative photoresist over the deep portion of each multi-depth depression;

wet etching the metal film from the shallow portion of each multi-depth depression and from the interstitial regions;

depositing a second functionalized layer over the insoluble negative photoresist, the shallow portion of each multi-depth depression, and the interstitial regions;

removing the insoluble negative photoresist, thereby exposing the functionalized layer; and

removing the second functionalized layer from the interstitial regions.

19 . The method as defined in claim 17 , further comprising:

removing the insoluble positive photoresist, thereby exposing the metal film over the shallow portion of each multi-depth depression and over the interstitial regions;

wet etching the metal film from the shallow portion of each multi-depth depression and from the interstitial regions;

depositing a second functionalized layer over the shallow portion of each multi-depth depression and over the interstitial regions; and

polishing the second functionalized layer from the interstitial regions.

20 . The method as defined in claim 15 , wherein:

the light sensitive material is a negative photoresist;

the negative photoresist is deposited in direct contact with the metal film;

utilizing the metal film to pattern the light sensitive material involves exposing the negative photoresist to light through the transparent substrate, whereby portions of the negative photoresist overlying the deep portion of each multi-depth depression define an insoluble negative photoresist, and portions of the negative photoresist overlying the shallow portion of each multi-depth depression and overlying the interstitial regions become soluble;

the insoluble negative photoresist is the altered light sensitive material;

the deep portion of each multi-depth depression is the first predetermined region; and

the shallow portion of each multi-depth depression is the second predetermined region.