Integration of optical waveguides and microfluidic channels both fabricated by femtosecond laser irradiation

A femtosecond laser is used to fabricate both microfluidic channels and high quality optical waveguides, intersecting each other on a single glass substrate. Fluorescence in fluids filling the microfluidic channels has been selectively excited in several points by coupling light in the optical waveguides. Waveguide-microchannel integration opens several prospects for in situ sensing in lab-on-a-chip devices. (c) 2007 American Institute of Physics.