Microsystems & Nanoengineering最新文献

{"title":"Platinum-nanostructured silicon microneedles with scalable fabrication for EEG biosensing.","authors":"Momina Amir, Ruochen Ding, Nurul Izni Rusli, Nadalan Vercooren, Frederik Ceyssens, Nadezda Kuznetsova, Chen Wang, Alexander Bertrand, Michael Kraft, Irene Taurino","doi":"10.1038/s41378-026-01373-3","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41378-026-01373-3","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study details the development and characterization of a silicon microneedle electrode array for enhanced biopotential recording. Fabricated using a streamlined two-step process, the device design was guided by mechanical analysis to ensure structural stability and minimize skin-electrode impedance. Structural analysis identified needle lengths of 500-700 µm as mechanically favorable for high buckling resistance, with needle spacing selected to reduce inter-needle interference and support effective skin penetration. The microneedles were subsequently modified through platinum electrodeposition to produce a nanostructured porous surface, which increased the electroactive area by approximately 15-fold compared to bare platinum microneedles, as determined from electrochemical measurements. Electrochemical characterization and proof-of-concept EEG experiments demonstrated improved signal acquisition performance, with the nanostructured electrodes yielding higher signal-to-noise ratios than bare microneedles in both SSVEP and ASSR recordings. Compared to conventional gel-based Ag/AgCl wet electrodes, the proposed device eliminates the need for conductive gel application, reduces preparation time, and improves user comfort. The work establishes a scalable, cleanroom-compatible method for fabricating nanostructured platinum-coated silicon microneedles, highlighting their potential as a user-friendly platform for next-generation wearable electrophysiological monitoring.</p>","PeriodicalId":18560,"journal":{"name":"Microsystems & Nanoengineering","volume":"12 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":11.1,"publicationDate":"2026-08-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13500664/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148808938","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Selective photoacoustic handling of microparticles via annular laser beams.","authors":"Guojie Luo, Yi He, Wanglinhan Zhang, David J Collins, Yi Liu, Mo Yang, Feiyang Pan, Zhongqing Su","doi":"10.1038/s41378-026-01428-5","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41378-026-01428-5","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Precise manipulation of bioparticles in micro- and nano-fluidic environments is crucial for applications in cancer diagnostics, drug delivery, and single‑cell analysis. Despite the optical and acoustic tweezers provide high accuracy and stability, their flexibility and selectivity are often constrained by factors such as laser‑induced heating, reliance on the optical properties of target particles, and the labor‑ and time‑intensive fabrication of interdigital transducers (IDTs). In this study, we develop an annular beam-driven photoacoustic tweezer (PAT) to implement high-precision, selective handling of microparticles via annular beam-generated transient photoacoustic waves (T-PAWs). Realized via an axicon-enabled optical setup, a nanosecond laser beam is shaped into a ring pattern and focused on a polycrystalline silicon substrate coated with chromium and aurum layers, which supports a confined liquid layer. The annular laser beam photoacoustically generates water-borne T-PAWs and establishes an annular acoustic potential well (APW), which in turn establishes a radially inward acoustic radiation force (ARF), to continuously guide target microparticles, and simultaneously a concurrent outward‑propagating pressure along the ring periphery to exclude non-target microparticles. To elucidate the mechanism of laser‑induced T-AWs, we develop a multiphysical finite element model integrating photo‑thermo‑acoustic coupling, and experimentally validate the capability of the developed PAT in selectively capturing, assembling, and isolating single and multiple silicon microparticles and hydrogel microspheres. This annular PAT bridges selective, label-free trapping with fabrication simplicity by eliminating the need for IDTs, offering a rapidly reconfigurable method and non-contact approach for versatile bioparticle manipulation.</p>","PeriodicalId":18560,"journal":{"name":"Microsystems & Nanoengineering","volume":"12 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":11.1,"publicationDate":"2026-08-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13500671/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148808922","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Balancing surface chemistry and biocompatibility: an analysis of poly(dimethylsiloxane) and polyethylene terephthalate membrane bonding methods in Lab-on-a-Chip systems for cell culture.","authors":"Oliwia Tadko, Magdalena Flont, Oliwia Lewińska, Jakub Trzciński, Krzysztof Mrozik, Agnieszka Gnyszka, Elżbieta Jastrzębska","doi":"10.1038/s41378-026-01402-1","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41378-026-01402-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Next to the poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS), polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is the material increasingly used in the fabrication of Lab-on-a-Chip (LoC) systems. It results from their excellent biocompatibility and straightforward fabrication of microstructures. The integration of PDMS and PET requires chemical modification of surfaces, such as the use of silane-based coupling agents (3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) and 3-glycidyloxypropyltrimethoxysilane (GPTMS). However, this method is often ineffective in achieving stable, leak-proof bonding, with the potential for high cytotoxicity. In response to these challenges, we tested whether polydopamine (PDA) could be a promising alternative method for PDMS and PET bonding. We compared two PDMS-PET surface bonding methods, such as APTES/GPTMS and PDA, and we proved that PDA coatings created strong, stable bonds between PDMS and PET, providing a biocompatible surface that supports cell adhesion and culture without cytotoxic effects. The results highlight the significant advantages of PDA in developing PDMS-PET-based LoC systems, allowing for more reliable and complex in vitro models for drug testing and disease research.</p>","PeriodicalId":18560,"journal":{"name":"Microsystems & Nanoengineering","volume":"12 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":11.1,"publicationDate":"2026-08-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13500500/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148808979","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Correction: Multi-sized microelectrode array coupled with micro-electroporation for effective recording of intracellular action potential.","authors":"Xingyuan Xu, Zhengjie Liu, Jing Liu, Chuanjie Yao, Xi Chen, Xinshuo Huang, Shuang Huang, Peng Shi, Mingqiang Li, Li Wang, Yu Tao, Hui-Jiuan Chen, Xi Xie","doi":"10.1038/s41378-026-01416-9","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41378-026-01416-9","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":18560,"journal":{"name":"Microsystems & Nanoengineering","volume":"12 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":11.1,"publicationDate":"2026-08-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13503818/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148813557","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Theoretical modeling and optimization design of T-shape cavity CMUTs for enhanced acoustic performances and lowered bias voltage.","authors":"Jiawei Yuan, Tong Wang, Zhikang Li, Jie Li, Shaohui Qin, Shiwang Zhang, Zixuan Li, Yihe Zhao, Ping Yang, Ruiyan Luo, Hongqiang Tan, Min Li, Xiaozhang Wang, Libo Zhao","doi":"10.1038/s41378-026-01318-w","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41378-026-01318-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducers (CMUTs) are key components of ultrasonic technology, which have broad applications in medical, industrial, and military fields. The theoretical model enables rapid analysis of their electromechanical performances, which in turn guides the iterative design of CMUTs arrays. The parallel-plate capacitive devices with variable cavity height, such as T-shape cavity CMUTs, utilize the electrostatic softening effect to induce piston-like deflection in the membrane and have been demonstrated to significantly decrease the collapse voltage while improving the acoustic performance. However, the theoretical model is lacking for CMUTs with T-shape cavities, limiting their optimization design. This paper introduces theoretical models for CMUTs with T-shape cavities actuated by electrostatic force. The model integrates the Galerkin method, a partial expansion method of nonlinear electrostatic force, and an energy equivalence method, thus facilitating the derivation of theoretical expressions for key mechanical behaviors, such as static deflection, collapse voltage, and resonant frequency. The finite element model and experimental verification are used to demonstrate the theoretical results, showcasing generality and high analytical accuracy (error less than 5%) over a large range of bias voltages (up to 90% of the collapse voltage), membrane dimensions (diameter-to-thickness ratio of 30 to 110), and cavity heights (cavity height-to-membrane thickness ratio of 0.2 to 1.0). Meanwhile, theoretical models are used in the optimization analysis, which demonstrates that the CMUTs with T-shape cavities can achieve a 12% increase in average membrane displacement and 47% decrease in collapse voltage compared to conventional CMUTs. The theoretical expressions can serve as a basis for the design of a series of parallel-plate capacitive devices with variable cavity height.</p>","PeriodicalId":18560,"journal":{"name":"Microsystems & Nanoengineering","volume":"12 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":11.1,"publicationDate":"2026-08-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13493773/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148795256","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Microfluidic Cytotongue system enables early, label-free detection of CAR-T-induced mechanical softening in tumor spheroids.","authors":"Sein Kim, Gwang Myeong Seo, Jinseung Bae, Danny van Noort, Sungsu Park","doi":"10.1038/s41378-026-01387-x","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41378-026-01387-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Quantitative assessment of chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) activity in solid tumors remains challenging, as immune engagement can induce early mechanical softening of tumor spheroids before overt cell death becomes detectable. To address this limitation, we developed Cytotongue, a three-dimensional (3D)-printed microfluidic aspiration system for real-time, treatment-integrated aspiration-response phenotyping of live tumor spheroids. Using human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive BT-474 breast cancer spheroids exposed to CAR-T cells, the Cytotongue system quantified aspiration-induced elongation dynamics and assay-specific deformation indices derived from an empirical biphasic deformation framework. This approach enabled detection of CAR-T-induced mechanical softening at low effector-to-target ratios (1:1-2:1) within 24 h, conditions under which conventional propidium iodide (PI) staining showed minimal response. System-level validation demonstrated robust performance, with high Z' factors (0.74-0.93), large effect sizes, and low coefficients of variation. Moreover, Cytotongue distinguished CAR-T-associated mechanical softening accompanied by apoptosis from doxorubicin-induced deformation responses despite comparable PI readouts. Collectively, this work introduces a treatment-integrated microfluidic aspiration system that enables real-time mechanical phenotyping of tumor spheroids, providing a new physical dimension for evaluating immunotherapeutic and drug responses.</p>","PeriodicalId":18560,"journal":{"name":"Microsystems & Nanoengineering","volume":"12 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":11.1,"publicationDate":"2026-08-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13482357/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148795320","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"An integrated nanopore-microfluidic platform for low-voltage electroporation of delivering self-amplifying RNA into dendritic cells.","authors":"Bowen Zhang, Yijing Cai, Caiguanxi Deng, Xinshuo Huang, Chuanjie Yao, Xiaotong Li, Lukang Gao, Yujuan Wu, Jinkun Chen, Juan Jiang, Liru Shang, Xi Xie, Ji Wang, Hui-Jiuan Chen, Yuxiang Wu, Jing Liu","doi":"10.1038/s41378-026-01359-1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41378-026-01359-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Efficient delivery of large, negatively charged self-amplifying RNA (saRNA) into dendritic cells (DCs) is critical for next-generation cancer vaccines. However, this remains challenging due to the high sensitivity of DCs to chemical carriers and high-voltage electroporation. In this study, an integrated nanopore-electroporation (NEP) microdevice was developed by combining 200 nm track-etched polycarbonate membrane, bidirectional PDMS microfluidic channels, and Pt/ITO electrodes to localize the electric field and induce membrane permeabilization at low voltage (≤30 V). Multiphysics simulations revealed that 200 nm nanopores concentrated the electric field at the cell-membrane interface, generating transmembrane potentials exceeding 3 V. Using DC2.4, the NEP system achieved 75% propidium iodide (PI) uptake at 25 V with 90% viability, confirming controllable nanoscale perforation. Direct delivery of GFP-encoding saRNA achieved approximately 50% transfection efficiency with sustained protein expression for more than 96 h, significantly outperforming mRNA at an equal dose. Long-term viability (>85% at 96 h) and negligible cytotoxicity demonstrated the excellent biocompatibility of the device. This reagent-minimal, modular NEP platform thus provided a high-efficiency, low-toxicity route for saRNA delivery into hard-to-transfect immune cells, offering a versatile engineering framework for DC-based cancer immunotherapy, RNA vaccine development, and broader cell gene-modification applications.</p>","PeriodicalId":18560,"journal":{"name":"Microsystems & Nanoengineering","volume":"12 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":11.1,"publicationDate":"2026-08-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13482594/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148795308","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Millimeter-thick microsupercapacitors with linear thickness-scaling of energy and power densities via multilayer electron highway architecture.","authors":"Yifeng Lu, Congming Li, Xiangming Li, Gangqiang Liu, Lifang Qiao, Hongmiao Tian, Chunhui Wang, Xiaoliang Chen, Jinyou Shao","doi":"10.1038/s41378-026-01266-5","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41378-026-01266-5","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The relentless miniaturization of microelectronics demands energy storage systems with ultrahigh energy and power densities in ultracompact footprints. Microsupercapacitors (MSCs) are promising due to their rapid charge-discharge capabilities, but conventional electrode architectures suffer from a trade-off between energy and power density as thickness increases, exacerbated by electron transport resistance and mechanical instability. Here, we present a paradigm-shifting, truly millimeter-thick (up to 1.2 mm), high-aspect-ratio (7:1), three-dimensional microelectrode architecture that fundamentally decouples electron transport distance from electrode thickness. By roll-to-roll calendering of alternating multilayer current collectors and electrode films, we achieve precisely aligned multilayer structures with total thicknesses exceeding 1 mm, specifically demonstrating a 1.2 mm-thick, 9-layer device in an ultracompact footprint, followed by precision laser engraving to define interdigitated gaps below 180 µm, establishing a parallel electron transport network. Therefore, the architecture enables linear scaling of both energy and power density with thickness, delivering a peak energy density of 1733 µWh cm^-2, comparable to that of 3D micro-batteries, and a peak power density of 153 mW cm^-2, surpassing that of the state-of-the-art microsupercapacitors, alongside exceptional stability demonstrated by 95% capacitance retention after 10,000 cycles at 2000 mV s^-1. Roll-to-roll manufacturing combined with laser engraving enables large-area, industrial-scale production of microsupercapacitors, resolving the persistent trilemma among electrode thickness, microscale resolution, and mechanical stability. This advancement delivers a transformative solution for next-generation micro-energy systems achieving high energy density, high power density, and strong mechanical stability.</p>","PeriodicalId":18560,"journal":{"name":"Microsystems & Nanoengineering","volume":"12 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":11.1,"publicationDate":"2026-08-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13478513/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148761467","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A tumor-on-a-chip model reveals and targets reciprocal macrophage-NK cell crosstalk to advance immunotherapy screening.","authors":"Xiahe Han, Qiurui Chen, Kangshuai Li, Jing Wu, Aoling Wang, Yunting Wang, Huajun Zhao, Wu Liu","doi":"10.1038/s41378-026-01401-2","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41378-026-01401-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Effective cancer immunotherapy is hindered by immunosuppressive crosstalk within the tumor microenvironment. We engineered a tumor immune microenvironment-on-a-chip (TIMoC) that recapitulates the vascularized, hypoxic, and spatially organized niche of human solid liver tumors. We employed TIMoC to dissect the reciprocal interaction between macrophages and natural killer (NK) cells. Macrophages induced NK cell dysfunction, while dysfunctional NK cells promoted M2 macrophage polarization. This bidirectional impairment created a self-perpetuating immunosuppressive loop. TIMoC served as an in vitro screening tool, confirming the limited efficacy of TIGIT blockade in a multicellular context and revealing synergistic anti-tumor activity for combinations of a macrophage-reprogramming agent (resiquimod) with NK cell-targeting antibodies. By incorporating patient-derived organotypic tumor spheroids and autologous immune cells, the personalized TIMoC platform modeled patient-specific responses and evaluated effective drug combinations, demonstrating its potential to guide precision immunotherapy. This work elucidates a key immunosuppressive axis and introduces a versatile platform for rationally designing combination immunotherapies.</p>","PeriodicalId":18560,"journal":{"name":"Microsystems & Nanoengineering","volume":"12 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":11.1,"publicationDate":"2026-08-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13478628/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148765195","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Concept and simulation of a MEMS cycloidal mass analyzer.","authors":"Haobin Wang, Han Wang, Chen Shen, Jie Sheng, Chunjing Xu, Youjiang Liu, Chilai Chen","doi":"10.1038/s41378-026-01409-8","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41378-026-01409-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study investigates the miniaturization pathway of cycloidal mass spectrometry, a technique distinguished by its inherent perfect-focusing properties, and introduces a planar, stacked-layer MEMS-based cycloidal mass analyzer. A comprehensive numerical analysis was conducted to elucidate the effects of key design parameters, namely electric sector geometry, electrode geometry, and operating vacuum, on ion focusing and mass separation performance. The results indicate that appropriate optimization of geometric dimensions and electrode arrangement density effectively mitigates electric field distortion, thereby improving ion beam focusing and resolution. Configured with an electric sector size of 32.60 mm × 41.10 mm × 6.85 mm and 83 electrode pairs, and operated under a vacuum of 1 × 10^-3 Pa, the device achieves full width at half maximum (FWHM) values of approximately 0.03 Da for light ions (H₂⁺, He⁺) and about 0.40 Da for heavier ions (Ar⁺, CO₂⁺). Across the m/z range of 2-50 Da, the analyzer maintains a resolution greater than 99 and an ion detection efficiency exceeding 92%, demonstrating robust separation and transmission performance over a wide mass-to-charge range.</p>","PeriodicalId":18560,"journal":{"name":"Microsystems & Nanoengineering","volume":"12 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":11.1,"publicationDate":"2026-08-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13476432/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148760396","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}