Abstract
We present a method to fabricate polymer optofluidic systems by means of injection molding that allow the insertion of standard optical fibers. The chip fabrication and assembly methods produce large numbers of robust optofluidic systems that can be easily assembled and disposed of, yet allow precise optical alignment and improve delivery of optical power. Using a multi-level chip fabrication process, complex channel designs with extremely vertical sidewalls, and dimensions that range from few tens of nanometers to hundreds of microns can be obtained. The technology has been used to align optical fibers in a quick and precise manner, with a lateral alignment accuracy of 2.7 ± 1.8 μm. We report the production, assembly methods, and the characterization of the resulting injection-molded chips for Lab-on-Chip (LoC) applications. We demonstrate the versatility of this technology by carrying out two types of experiments that benefit from the improved optical system: optical stretching of red blood cells (RBCs) and Raman spectroscopy of a solution loaded into a hollow core fiber. The advantages offered by the presented technology are intended to encourage the use of LoC technology for commercialization and educational purposes.
Highlights
Since 2005 [1] merging of optics and fluidics at the micro and nanoscale for Lab-on-Chip (LoC) purposes opened a wide range of opportunities both in basic and applied research [2]
In order to balance between the requirements of hydrodynamic resistance and of delivery of the optical power, overlap of deep channels and removal of solid wall separation are required
This marks a difference with previous work [22,23]: in order to precisely overlap deep channels with slight difference in depth, a modified multilayer process is required
Summary
Since 2005 [1] merging of optics and fluidics at the micro and nanoscale for Lab-on-Chip (LoC) purposes opened a wide range of opportunities both in basic and applied research [2]. The limited commercialization of this technology lies in the fact that, at present, the majority of LoC optofluidic systems are fabricated with techniques that are not production-friendly either in terms of materials or in terms of optical elements: Existing microfluidic systems in glass are characterized by high production cost and, in addition, optofluidic. AAltlteerrnnaattiviveelyly,, llooww--lloossss,, ooppttiiccaall ffiibbeerr--bbaasseedd ssyysstteemmss mmaaddee iinn ssoofftt ppoollyymmeerr mmaatteerriiaallss lliikkee ppoollyyddiimmeetthhyyllssiillooxxaannee ((PPDDMMSS)) rreeqquuiirree mmoorree llaabboorriioouuss pprroocceedduurreess ssuucchh aass ppnneeuummaattiiccaallllyy ddrriivveenn aaccttiivveeooppttiiccaallfifbibeerrmmananipipuulaltaotorsrs[5[]5f]ofroorpotipctaicl aalliaglnigmnemntenont -ocnh-icphbipecbaeucsaeuosfethoef tfihbeerfihboeursihnogudsienfogrmdeaftoiormn.aTtihoeni.dTeahlesyisdteeaml wsyosuteldmbeweoauslydtobaeligeanswy ittho hailgighnprweciitshiohni,gmhecphraenciisciaolnly, mstreocnhga,neicaaslylytositnrotenrgfa, ceeawsyithtobointhterflfuaicdeicws iatnhdboopthticfsl,uhidavices naengdligoipblteicbs,iohfoauvleinnge,gdleigliivbeler hbiigohfopuoliwnegr, dinelsiivtuerahnidghwpoouwldebreindsisitpuoasnabdlew. TToo mmaakkee aa ssuubbssttaannttiiaall iimmpprroovveemmeenntt ttoowwaarrddss ssuucchh ssyysstteemmss,, wwee ddeevveellooppeedd iinnjjeeccttiioonn mmoollddeedd ((ii..ee..,, pprroodduuccttiioonn--ffrriieennddllyy)) ooppttoofflluuiiddiicc cchhiippss iinn hhaarrdd CCyycclliicc OOlleeffiinn CCooppoollyymmeerr ((CCooCC)) TTOOPPAASS 55001133 wwiitthh eemmbbeeddddeedd ccoommmmeerrcciiaallllyyaavvaailialabbleleoopptitciacal lfibfiebresr(sF(iFgiugruer1ea,1ba),.bW). eWcoencsoidnesirdTeOr PTAOSP5A0S135t0o1b3etoanbiedeaanl ipdoelaylmpeorlfyomr efrabfroicratfiaobnriocaf tLioonC osyf sLteomCs sbyesctaeumsse obfecitasuhseighoftriatns sphiagrhenctryaninsptahreenvcisyibilne wthaevevleisnigbtlhe wraanvgeele[6n]g,tihtsrhainggheg[6la]s, sittsrahnigshitigolnastsemtrpanersaittiuornet(e1m40peCra)t,uitrsel(o1w40w°Cat)e,ritasblsoowrpwtiaotneranabdsiotsrpretisoinstaanncdeittos raecsidisstaanncde taolkaacliidnse aangdenatlsk,aalisnwe aelgleanstst,oapsowlaerllsaoslvtoenptosl[a7r].soTlvOePnAtsS[a7l]s. oTOavPoAidSsaulsnodaevsoiriedds buinodfoeusilriendg bwioitfhoumliinngimwalitshurmfaicneimtraeal tsmurefnatcreeqtrueiartemmeennttsre[8q]uairnedmaeunttosfl[u8o]raenscdenacuetooffluToOrPeAscSen5c0e13ocfaTnObPeAreSdu50ce1d3 ctoanvableureesdtuhcaetdarteoavbaoluuet s20th%atloawreearbtohuant 2t0h%e olnoweseorftshialincathcehiopnse[s9o].f silica chips [9].
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