Direct fabrication of homogeneous microfluidic channels embedded in fused silica using a femtosecond laser

We demonstrate direct fabrication of homogeneous microfluidic channels embedded in fused silica by femtosecond laser direct writing, followed by wet chemical etching and glass drawing. In addition, the glass drawing process significantly reduces the inner surface roughness of the fabricated channels, and centimeter-level microfluidic channels with an aspect ratio above 1000 can be realized. (C) 2010 Optical Society of America