Melting and interdigitation of microstructured solid supported membranes quantified by imaging ellipsometry

The phase transition of individually addressable microstructured lipid bilayers was investigated by means of noncontact imaging ellipsometry. Two-dimensional membrane compartments were created on silicon substrates by micromolding in capillaries and the phase transition of supported dimyristoylphosphadiylcholine DMPC and dipentadecoylphosphatidylcholine DiC15PC membranes was determined measuring area expansion and thickness of the bilayer as a function of temperature, ethanol concentration, and cholesterol content. Apart from measuring the thermotropic behavior of DMPC on glass slides and silicon wafers, the authors were able to visualize the reversible induction of an interdigitated phase …