Journal
JOURNAL OF MICROELECTROMECHANICAL SYSTEMS
Volume 9, Issue 1, Pages 76-81Publisher
IEEE-INST ELECTRICAL ELECTRONICS ENGINEERS INC
DOI: 10.1109/84.825780
Keywords
bonding; micro-molding; polydimethylsiloxane; reactive ion etching; three-dimensional micro-channel; SU-8
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This paper describes a fabrication technique for building three-dimensional (3-D) micro-channels in polydimethyl-siloxane (PDMS) elastomer, The process allows for the stacking of many thin (less than 100-mu m thick) patterned PDMS layers to realize complex 3-D channel paths. The master for each layer is formed on a silicon wafer using an epoxy-based photoresist (SU 8), PDMS is cast against the master producing molded layers containing channels and openings. To realize thin layers with openings, a sandwich molding configuration was developed that allows precise control of the PDMS thickness. The master wafer is clamped within a sandwich that includes flat aluminum plates, a flexible polyester film layer, a rigid Pyrex wafer, and a rubber sheet. A parametric study is performed on PDMS surface activation in a reactive-ion-etching system and the subsequent methanol treatment for bonding and aligning very thin individual components to a substrate. Low RF power and short treatment times are better than high RF power and long treatment times, respectively, for instant bonding. Layer-to-layer alignment of less then 15 mu m is achieved with manual alignment techniques that utilize surface tension driven self-alignment methods. A coring procedure is used to realize off-chip fluidic connections via the bottom PDMS layer, allowing the top layer to remain smooth and flat for complete optical access. [444].
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