Hybrid gold–copper stamp for rapid fabrication of microchips

Abstract

Graphical abstractDisplay Omitted Highlights? We have developed simple and low-cost fabrication method of metal stamps. ? The stamps are intended for fast and cheap replication of microfluidic structures. ? Inherent metal hardness allows hundreds of replications in polymer substrate. ? The method is alternative to the expensive methods using synchrotron radiation sources. ? It enables easy separation of final metal stamps from plastic substrate. We have developed a new alternative way for production of hybrid gold-copper stamps intended for fast and cheap replication of microfluidic structures. This novel technique relies on a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) casting process, transfer of microstructures into UV curable methyl-methacrylate (MMA) resin and galvanic deposition. The developed method enables an easy separation of fabricated metal stamps from plastic substrate (mechanical separation or wet etching in organic solvents), which favors this method over the metal stamp fabrication directly on SU8 substrate. The fabricated hybrid gold-copper stamps were tested as embossing templates for production of different microstructures. Their functionality was proven in production of microstructures for several applications, e.g., AC electroosmotic micropumps or dielectrophoretic separators.