Modular approach to fabrication of three-dimensional microchannel systems in PDMS—application to sheath flow microchips

Abstract

A modular approach to fabrication of three-dimensional microchannel systems in polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) is presented. It is based on building blocks with microstructuring on up to three faces. The assembled 3D-microchip consists of three building blocks in two layers. For assembly of the bottom layer two building blocks are joined horizontally, whereby the side structuring of the first is sealed against the flat side surface of the other. This results in the formation of a vertical interconnection opening between the building blocks to supplement the microstructuring on the lower faces. The 3D microchannel system is completed by placing a third building block, with microstructuring only on its lower face, on top of the assembled layer. While plasma assisted bonding is used between the two building blocks of the bottom layer, inherent adhesion is sufficient between the layers and for attaching the assembled 3D-microchip to a substrate. This modular approach was applied to the fabrication of a 3D-sheath flow microchip. It comprises a 20 μm deep microchannel system with sample inlet, open sensing area and outlet in the bottom layer and sheath flow inlet in the top layer. 100 μM fluorescein at 6 μL min⁻¹ was used as sample flow and water at increasing flow rates as sheath flow. With ratios of sheath to sample flow up to 20∶1 sample layers down to 1 μm thickness could be generated. Sample layer thickness was determined via volume detection on an epi-fluorescence microscope followed by image analysis.