Deposit+the+APTES+Monolayer+on+Silicon

APTES solution is a positive solution that is used as a monolayer on the negatively charged silane layer on top of the silicon wafer. The APTES then allows the negatively charged sugar-phosphate backbone of the DNA to stick to the surface of the silicon wafer. It is necessary to know how to deposit the APTES solution on the silicon wafer to push the project further.

The first thing to do is to make a 1% solution of APTES. First take 1980 µL of 18 ohms of H2O and mix it with 20 µL of APTES into a clean vial, and place the wafers within the vial, and leave it there for around ten minutes. Depending on what other solutions used (TMX and PEG ; only TMX has been mixed with APTES so far) to mix with the APTES solution to manipulate its hold on the DNA, this part may change. Part of the project is to use a certain substance and see its effect on the DNA when used in conjunction with the APTES solution. When the ten minutes is finished, wash off the silicon wafers yet again with 18 ohm H2O and dry with N2 gas. Finally, place the silicon wafers into a clean plastic container.

This image also found on the front of the page details how the APTES attaches to the silane layer (SiO2) on the silicon. The pink string is the DNA itself. This has been drawn by Dr. Koshala Sarveswaran.



Finally, here is a picture of the APTES structure also drawn by Dr. Sarveswaran. The Et stands for CH3CH2.



Next Milestone - Make a Contact Angle on Surface

Other Milestone - Deposit PEG monolayer on Silicon

Other Milestone - Deposit TMX monolayer on Silicon