3D microstructuring of glass by femtosecond laser for lab-on-a-chip applications

Abstract

Three-dimensional (3D) microfabrication of photo-structurable glass by femtosecond (fs) laser direct writing is demonstrated for manufacture of Lab-on-a-chip devices. The fs laser direct writing followed by annealing and successive wet etching can fabricate the hollow microstructures, achieving a vareiety of microfluidic components and microoptical components in a glass chip. One of the interesting and important applications of the 3D microfluidic structures fabricated by the present technique is inspection of living microorganisms. The microchips used for this application are referred to as nanoaquarium. Furthermore, the optical waveguide is written inside the glass by the fs laser direct writing without the annealing and the successive etching. It is revealed that integration of the microfluidic and microoptical components with the optical waveguides in a single glass chip is of great use for biochemical analysis and medical inspection based on optical sensing.Three-dimensional (3D) microfabrication of photo-structurable glass by femtosecond (fs) laser direct writing is demonstrated for manufacture of Lab-on-a-chip devices. The fs laser direct writing followed by annealing and successive wet etching can fabricate the hollow microstructures, achieving a vareiety of microfluidic components and microoptical components in a glass chip. One of the interesting and important applications of the 3D microfluidic structures fabricated by the present technique is inspection of living microorganisms. The microchips used for this application are referred to as nanoaquarium. Furthermore, the optical waveguide is written inside the glass by the fs laser direct writing without the annealing and the successive etching. It is revealed that integration of the microfluidic and microoptical components with the optical waveguides in a single glass chip is of great use for biochemical analysis and medical inspection based on optical sensing.