Microfabrication of biomaterials by the sub-ps laser-induced forward transfer process

The precise fabrication of micro-dimensioned patterns of biomaterials by the laser microprinting technique using a sub-ps UV laser is described. An ultrashort UV laser has been used to transfer the biomaterial, with low angular divergence, and deposit it onto the substrate with minimum spread and high spatial resolution. The laser-transferred features of 100mum x 100 mum size have been studied by means of scanning electron microscopy and scanning laser confocal fluorescence microscopy. The analysis of DNA and protein microarrays provides an excellent tool to expand our knowledge of genome functions. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.