Sacrificial polymers for nanofluidic channels in biological applications

Chip based bio/chemical analysis relies on networks of fluidic channels that are connected to reaction chambers and sensors. For sensitive detection it is important to scale down the size of the channels so that they approach the relevant length scales of the molecules of interest. Here we have made sealed channels on the 100 nm scale using nanoimprinting to pattern the sacrificial polymer polynorbornene over areas of several square centimetres. We have combined channels of different cross sections and we have shown that the nanochannels can be made hydrophilic with DNA transported electrophoretically in these self-sealed channels.