Many effects in science are useful. Unfortunately, there are an even greater number of effects which are (seemingly) non useful or a straight up a nuisance. One of these effects is photobleaching an effect we all know from fluorescence microscopy. Cheap fluorescent dyes tend to photobleach rather quickly which is mostly undesired. However, this effect can be harnessed to facilitate a very simple method for surface functionalization and many other interesting processes in microsystems engineering.
Miniaturization has many benefits when it comes to system and function integration with great promise in many areas of science, technology and society.
Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) as well as Nanoelectromechanical systems (NEMS) have seen significant steps in evolution in terms of complexity owing to improvements on both materials and manufacturing technology. The NeptunLab has been at the forefront of material and process innovation in MEMS and NEMS pioneering work in the field of 3D printing of classical MEMS materials as well as novel materials such as, e.g., fused silica glass.
This talk will highlight the interdisciplinary application scope of MEMS and NEMS in the Life Sciences with a focus on devices and applications enabled by recent breakthroughs and improvement in materials and process development.
