Microstructures and microsystems have been widely studied during the development of microelectronics. In addition to conventional microfabrication techniques such as photolithography and silicon micromachining, new technologies like LIGA and UV-LIGA have been created to manufacture novel structures and new applications based on those developed techniques....[ Read more ]

Microstructures and microsystems have been widely studied during the development of microelectronics. In addition to conventional microfabrication techniques such as photolithography and silicon micromachining, new technologies like LIGA and UV-LIGA have been created to manufacture novel structures and new applications based on those developed techniques.

Zeolites have been treated as well-known molecular sieve materials for long time and have broad applications in separation and catalysis areas. Recently, zeolites have drawn more attention in microsystems due to excellent properties and several applications like microreactors and microfluidic systems show the promising future of zeolites as advanced and functional materials.

This study illustrates two novel microstructures based on microfabrication and zeolite material. One is combinatorial zeolite micropattern system, which combines two kinds of zeolite with different hydrophilic properties in regular geometric pattern. Conventional microfabrication techniques have been applied in this microsystem and the potential application of this microstructure has been demonstrated to immobilize biomolecules on the surface. Another example uses zeolite as the building material to construct novel transdermal drug delivery system in microneedle array form. Two approaches, which are silicon micromachining and UV-LIGA process, have been demonstrated to fabricate the templates for zeolite microneedles.