Patent ID: 7462442

Claim:
A method for producing biocompatible microchips, the method comprising: fabricating a microchip comprising microelectronic circuits; depositing a chemically amplified photoresist film over the fabricated microchip, wherein the chemically amplified photoresist film comprises: a first polymer which comprises acid-labile groups which, after their elimination, liberate a polar group with the result that the solubility of the first polymer in aqueous alkaline developers is increased, and which furthermore has anchor groups for linking a biocompatible compound, it also being possible for the anchor groups to be present in protected form; a photo acid generator; and a second polymer which is electrically conductive, it being possible to arrange the first and second polymers as a mixture or as successively arranged layers on the microchip; exposing the chemically amplified photoresist film section-by-section; heating the exposed chemically amplified photoresist film to eliminate the acid-labile groups from the first polymer in the exposed sections; developing the heated chemically amplified photoresist film by means of an aqueous alkaline developer solution to form a structured resist, wherein the developing detaches the exposed sections of the photoresist film from the microchip; applying a solution of a biocompatible compound over the structured resist, the biocompatible compound being coordinated to the anchor groups of the first polymer; and removing excess solution of the biocompatible compound to form a biocompatible structured resist, wherein the biocompatible compound influences growth of cells on the biocompatible structured resist, and wherein the biocompatible structured resist enables information transfer between the cells and the microchip via electrical signals.