Solid-state membranes formed on natural menisci
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Updated: Dec 14, 2025

Automated Lipid Bilayer Membrane Formation Using a Polydimethylsiloxane Thin Film
Published on: July 10, 2016
Zach Walker1, Tanner Wells1, Kalliyan Lay1
1Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, United States of America.
Abstract:
We present a method to create robust, nanoscale solid-state membranes using the natural shape of a liquid meniscus as a template. A narrow, open channel is etched into a silicon substrate and then a photoresist polymer is introduced into the channel through spontaneous capillary action. The natural concave meniscus formed by the polymer is then covered by a thin chemical vapor deposited membrane. The polymer is removed by sacrificial etching, leaving behind a suspended membrane. Membranes as large as 20 μm by 9 mm can be fabricated with a thickness as low as 50 nm.
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