AVS 59th Annual International Symposium and Exhibition
    Biomaterial Interfaces Tuesday Sessions
       Session BI-TuP

Paper BI-TuP6
Comparison between Fabrication Techniques for Glass Microfluidic Microchannels

Tuesday, October 30, 2012, 6:00 pm, Room Central Hall

Session: Biomaterial Interfaces Poster Session
Presenter: C. Vélez, Universidad de los Andes, Colombia
Authors: C. Vélez, Universidad de los Andes, Colombia
S. Silva, Universidad de los Andes, Colombia
X. Wang, University of Florida
A. Gonzalez-Mancera, Universidad de los Andes, Colombia
C. Leidy, Universidad de los Andes, Colombia
J.F. Osma, Universidad de los Andes, Colombia
F. Ren, University of Florida
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This work presents a comparison between three microfluidic fabrication techniques for shallow channels (less than 20µm depth) on glass including laser scribing, wet chemical etching using photoresist as a mask, and wet chemical etching using copper deposition as a mask. The purpose of this device is to perform optical particle tracking using a Four Roll Mill configuration. A JPSA excimer UV laser system was used to perform the laser scribing process. This process proves to be the fastest, allows for better control over the etching rate, and produces smallest angles at the edges. On the other hand, wet etching with copper as a mask uses hydrofluoric acid to produce the channels, and the process proves to be better than etching with photoresist mask. Wet etching with copper as mask also shows better transparency at the bottom of the microchannels, which is perfect for optical tracking and a more homogeneous etching than laser scribing; however, it uses more time and there is less control over the etching rate. Complex geometrical patterns as semicircles and intersections were better obtained using wet etching with copper than the other two fabrication techniques. Liquid flowing inside complex geometry patterns was simulated with Comsol Multiphysics V 4.2. Final fabricated devices were tested with two micro-particle solutions: alginate particles and lipid vesicles in aqueous solutions.