Topographical Micropatterning of Poly(dimethylsiloxane) Using Laminar Flows of Liquids in Capillaries

"Micro-landscapes" suitable for investigating the behavior of living cells under different stimuli are cast from poly(dimethylsiloxane) by simultaneously etching a slab and a relief (see Figure) with a Bu4NF solution and flushing out dissolved material with N-methylpyrrolidone. It is crucial that all liquid streams during the etching process are laminar. Various accessible topographies for the relief and examples of applications are given.