Adhesive microstructure and method of forming same
View Patent ↗A method of forming an adhesive force includes removing a seta from a living specimen, attaching the seta to a substrate, and applying the seta to a surface so as to establish an adhesive force between the substrate and the surface. The seta is applied to the surface with a force perpendicular to the surface. The seta is then pulled with a force parallel to the surface so as to preload the adhesive force of the seta.
1. A method of fabricating a microstructure, comprising:
obtaining a substrate;
forming a plurality of shafts, each shaft having a first end connected to the substrate and a second end opposite the first end, each shaft having a length of less than 500 microns, and each shaft having a diameter of between 0.01 and 0.1 times the length of the shaft; and
forming a protrusion at the second end of each shaft, each protrusion having a width of less than 10 microns, and each protrusion capable of providing a substantially parallel adhesive force at a surface of between about 20 and 8,000 nano-Newtons.
2. The method of claim 1 , where the plurality of shafts are formed using a sandwich of nitride and oxide.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein forming a protrusion includes seeding the second end of each shaft to form the protrusion.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein forming a protrusion includes roughening the second end of each shaft to form the protrusion.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein forming a protrusion includes etching the second end of each shaft to form the protrusion.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein forming a protrusion includes embossing the second end of each shaft to form the protrusion.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of shafts are formed using a sandwich of polymer layers.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the sandwich of polymer layers includes a spin-cast polymer material selected from the group consisting of photoresist, polyimide, glass, and epoxy-based compounds.
9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the sandwich of polymer layers includes a spray-deposited polymer material selected from the group consisting of photoresist, polyimide, glass, and epoxy-based compounds.
10. The method of claim 7 , wherein the sandwich of polymer layers includes ultra violet curable epoxies.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein forming a plurality of shafts includes etching the substrate to form molding structures defining the length and shape of the plurality of shafts.
12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
coating the substrate with oxide and nitride layers.
13. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
coating the substrate with a material selected from the group consisting of photoresist, polyimide, glass, and epoxy-based compounds.
14. A method of fabricating a microstructure, comprising:
obtaining a substrate;
forming a plurality of shafts, each shaft having a first end connected to the substrate and a second end opposite the first end, each shaft having a length of less than 500 microns, and each shaft having a diameter of between 0.01 and 0.1 times the length of the shaft; and
forming a plurality of protrusions at the second end of each shaft, each protrusion having a width of less than 10 microns, and each protrusion capable of providing a substantially parallel adhesive force at a surface of between about 20 and 8,000 nano-Newtons.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein forming a protrusion includes seeding the second end of each shaft to form the protrusion.
16. The method of claim 14 , wherein forming a protrusion includes roughening the second end of each shaft to form the protrusion.
17. The method of claim 14 , wherein forming a protrusion includes etching the second end of each shaft to form the protrusion.
18. A method of fabricating a microstructure, comprising:
obtaining a substrate;
forming a plurality of shafts by etching the substrate to form molding structures defining the length and shape of the plurality of shafts, each shaft having a first end connected to the substrate and a second end opposite the first end, each shaft having a length of less than 500 microns, and each shaft having a diameter of between 0.01 and 0.1 times the length of the shaft; and
forming a plurality of protrusions at the second end of each shaft, each protrusion having a width of less than 10 microns.
19. The method of claim 18 , wherein forming a protrusion includes seeding the second end of each shaft to form the protrusion.
20. The method of claim 18 , wherein forming a protrusion includes roughening the second end of each shaft to form the protrusion.
21. The method of claim 18 , wherein forming a protrusion includes etching the second end of each shaft to form the protrusion.