Patent ID: 7794799

Claim:
A method for manufacturing an array plate for biomolecules, comprising: coating a surface of a substrate with a hydrophilic layer; coating the hydrophilic layer with a hydrophobic material to form a hydrophobic layer having initial hydrophobic properties, wherein the hydrophobic material is selected from the group consisting of fluorocarbon polymers, polyhydrocarbons, polyesters, and diamond-like carbon; baking the substrate; forming an etch mask on the hydrophobic layer; etching the hydrophobic layer through the etch mask to form an array having at least one hydrophilic site between hydrophobic regions; removing the etch mask to uncover at least one hydrophobic region of the array, the uncovered hydrophobic region having reduced hydrophobic properties as compared to the initial hydrophobic properties of the hydrophobic layer; and performing a thermal treatment on the at least one uncovered hydrophobic region of the array at a temperature equal to or above a temperature of the baking to form at least one hydrophobic site having improved hydrophobic properties as compared to the reduced hydrophobic properties of the uncovered hydrophobic region, such that the array has distinct hydrophilic and hydrophobic sites, upper surfaces of both the hydrophilic and hydrophobic sites being exposed to an ambient environment, wherein at least one of etching the hydrophobic layer and removing the etch mask reduces the hydrophobic properties of portions of the uncovered hydrophobic region.