Method for fabricating microfluidic devices in fused silica by picosecond laser irradiation
US11203083B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 5, 2019 |
| Grant date | Dec 21, 2021 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 24, 2040 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB23K2103/54
- WIPO fieldMachine tools
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
Method of fabricating a microfluidic device by means of inducing internal cracks in fused silica employing a picosecond laser beam, firstly utilizing irradiation of a focused temporally controlled picosecond laser beam in fused silica to generate a spatially selective modification region including randomly oriented nanocracks, then employing chemical etching to remove the irradiated area and obtain a hollow and connected three-dimensional microstructure, thereby achieving three-dimensional fabrication of microchannel structures inside the fused silica. The method can realize polarization insensitive three-dimensional uniform etching by regulating the pulse width of the picosecond laser beam, and has high chemical etch rate and selectivity, applicable for fabrication of large-sized three-dimensional microfluidic systems, high-precision 3D glass printing, etc.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.