Quantum dots light emitting devices on MEMS - Microcontact printing, near-field imaging, and early cancer detection

Controlled patterning of light emitting devices on semiconductors and micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) enables a vast variety of applications such as structured illumination, large-area flexible displays, integrated optoelectronic systems and micro-total analysis systems for real-time biomedical screening. We have demonstrated a series of techniques of creating quantum dot-based (QD) patterned inorganic light emitting devices at room temperature on silicon (Si) substrate. The innovative technology was translated to create localized QD-based light sources for two applications: (1) Three-dimensional scanning probe tip structures for near field imaging. Combined topographic and optical images were acquired using this new class of "self-illuminating" probe in commercial NSOM. The emission wavelength can be tuned through quantum-size effect of QDs. (2) Multispectral excitation sources integrated with microfluidic channels for tumor cell analyses. We were able to detect the variation of sub-cellular features, such as the nucleus-to-cytoplasm ratio, to quantify the absorption at different wavelength upon the near-field illumination of individual tumor cells towards the determination of cancer developmental stage.