Fabrication of polymer microfluidic systems by hot embossing and laser ablation

Fabrication of microfluidic channels in common commercially available thermoplastic materials can be easily accomplished using hot embossing or ultraviolet (UV) laser ablation. Hot embossing involves replication of a microfluidic network in a polymer substrate from a stamp (or template) fabricated in silicon or metal. UV laser ablation is performed by either exposing the polymer substrate through a mask or by using a laser direct-write process. The resulting polymer microfluidic channels are most often sealed with another polymer piece using thermal bonding or solvent bonding to complete the fabrication procedure. Unlike their silicon and glass counterparts, polymer microfluidic systems can be fabricated by these methods in less than 1 h, making the materials attractive for both research prototyping and commercialization.