Seal Formation in Silicon Planar Patch-Clamp Microstructures

This paper presents a microfabricated planar patch-clamp electrode design and looks at the impact of several physical characteristics on seal formation. The device consists of a patch aperture, 1.5-2.5 mum in diameter and 7-12 mum in depth, with a reverse-side deep-etched 80-mum well. The patch aperture was coated with either thermal oxide or plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposited (PECVD) SiO2. Some of the thermal oxide devices were converted into protruding nozzle structures, and some were boron-doped. Seal formation was tested with cultured N2a neuroblastoma cells. The PECVD oxide devices produced an average seal resistance of 34 MOmega(n = 24), and the thermal oxide devices produced an average seal resistance of 96 MOmega(n = 59). Seal resistance was found to positively correlate with patch aperture depth. Whole-cell recordings were obtained from 14% of cells tested with the thermal oxide devices, including a single recording where a gigaohm seal was obtained.

Lattice dynamics study of microstructures of electrorheological fluids

The lattice dynamics method is used to study the stability of the chain structures formed in electrorheological (ER) fluids. The appearance of the soft modes in the phonon dispersion of the structures indicates that the chains tend to distort and aggregate into thicker columns due to the electrostatic attractive forces and thermal generated forces between them. The results show that the stability of the chains relies on their width and the separation between them. The complete chain structures are more stable than the chains with defects. The results can be used to elucidate the densification phenomenon of the chains in the structuring process of ER fluids in the quiescent state.