Waddell Emanuel A
Department of Chemistry, University of Alabama-Huntsville, USA.
Methods Mol Biol. 2006;321:27-38. doi: 10.1385/1-59259-997-4:27.
The use of microfluidic devices is making rapid inroads in the modern laboratory. Traditionally, devices have been manufactured in silica owing to its well-understood surface chemistry and micromachining techniques that are ubiquitous in the microelectronics industry. Recently researchers have begun to utilize devices fabricated from polymer substrates as an alternative to glass. Reasons include total cost and the ability to tailor physical and chemical properties. However, traditional microfabrication techniques of molds that are used to fabricate polymer devices by imprinting or injection molding are subject to similar limitations as those associated with silica. In a research and development environment, it is important that researchers have access to fabrication techniques that are rapid and easily implemented with a variety of polymer substrates. Laser ablation has been proven to be such a technique, and this chapter describes the fabrication of a simple injection tee utilizing this technique. This chapter also examines the practical details involved in laser ablation from the perspective of a scientist who desires to utilize a turn-key system.
微流控设备在现代实验室中的应用正在迅速普及。传统上，由于二氧化硅具有为人熟知的表面化学性质以及在微电子行业中普遍存在的微加工技术，所以一直使用二氧化硅来制造设备。最近，研究人员开始使用由聚合物基材制成的设备来替代玻璃。原因包括总成本以及定制物理和化学性质的能力。然而，用于通过压印或注塑成型制造聚合物设备的模具的传统微加工技术存在与二氧化硅相关的类似局限性。在研发环境中，研究人员能够使用快速且易于在各种聚合物基材上实施的制造技术非常重要。激光烧蚀已被证明是这样一种技术，本章将描述利用该技术制造一个简单的注射三通管。本章还将从希望使用交钥匙系统的科学家的角度审视激光烧蚀所涉及的实际细节。
