Nanoengineered device for drug delivery application

A high precision nanoengineered device was developed to yield long term zero-order release of drugs for therapeutic applications. The device contains nanochannels that were fabricated in between two directly bonded silicon wafers and therefore poses high mechanical strength. The fabrication is based upon selectively growing oxide and then removing it, and thus defining nanochannels by consuming a specified layer of silicon during oxide growth. Diffusion through the nanochannels is the rate limiting step for the release of drugs. A measurement of glucose released through such nanochannels validates the zero-order release profile. Device design, fabrication details and the glucose release profile through 60 nm channels are presented.