Protein patterning utilizing region-specific control of wettability by surface modification under atmospheric pressure

Wettability control can be crucial in improving the uniformity of selective protein immobilization in high-density microarrays. In this study, we propose an atmospheric-pressure plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (AP-PECVD)-based method in conjunction with photolithography to implement region-specific control of wettability on Si substrate. The proposed PECVD method under atmospheric pressure condition would be a useful alternative of conventional reactive plasma-based treatments methods requiring vacuum condition for uniform protein patterning. Layers with dissimilar wettability and roughness prepared by AP-PECVD process using tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) or TEOS-O2 as precursors could realize uniform protein patterning in a micrometer-scale.