Microfabrication Technologies for Microfluidic Devices
This course is being presented by Holger Becker, CSO, microfluidic ChipShop GmbH
The course takes place prior to the Lab-on-a-Chip World Congress.
Who Should Attend?
The course is suitable for scientists, technicians and engineers who would like to acquire a comprehensive overview of the field of microfabrication technologies for microfluidic devices made out of glass, silicon and polymers. The course will cover a wide range of existing manufacturing technologies and describes the complete development cycle of a microfluidic device from the design to the ready-to-use device. The course will also provide an opportunity for researchers who already have experience with silicon based microsystems to extend their knowledge to non-silicon based systems which find more and more applications in microfluidics.
Learning Objectives
1. Identify the suitable material for a given microfluidic application.
2. Understand the basic technologies available for the microfabrication of glass, silicon and polymer materials and follow the device manufacturing process from design to the finished microfluidic device.
3. Being able to understand cost-models for the various fabrication technologies.
4. Understand modern trends and developments in the field of microfabrication technologies.
Topics and Course Organisation
1. Introduction and Objectives
2. A brief history of microfabrication
Roots in microelectronics
Development of distinct methods for microfluidics
3. Challenges in material selection
Basic material properties of glass, silicon and polymers
Selection parameters
Design considerations
4. Photolithography
Positive and negative resists
Lithographic methods and instrumentation
5. Silicon microfabrication
Wet etching methods
Reactive ion etching methods
6. Glass microfabrication
Wet etching methods
Photostructuring
Sandblasting
7. Polymer microfabrication
Lithographic methods
Laser ablation
Hot Embossing
Injection molding
Microthermoforming
Casting
Plasma etching
Precision machining
8. Back-End processing
Cutting and dicing
Drilling
Surface modification
Bonding
Quality control
9. World-to-chip interfacing
10. Future trends and developments