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Microfluidics; lab-on-chip; micropatterning; laser direct writing; soft lithography; uranium analysis.

In a plethora of microfabrication processes available now-a-days, one needs to choose the best possible option suitable for the job on-hand. This paper discusses three versatile approaches to fabricate microchips for lab-on-chip (LOC) applications in general and uranium analysis in water samples as a specific case. Laser-direct patterning succeeded by soft lithography, laser micropatterning followed by HF etching and micromilling have been demonstrated which not only suit the objective of uranium detection but also for most of the LOC applications. The different techniques elaborated enable development of LOCs in polymers as well as glass with a depth ranging from few microns to 100 𝜇m or higher while squeezing the reaction lengths of ∼10 cm on a 20 mm × 32 mm chip. This development equips one to design and develop more complicated LOC devices to take advantage of their hastened reaction cycle with minimal waste in terms of capital and maintenance cost.

Asmita Malik¹ S Sendhil Raja¹ P K Gupta¹

1. Raja Ramanna Centre for Advanced Technology, Indore 452 013, India

Published

February 2014

Early published

6 February 2014