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3D-printed enclosure wire-guided liquid microfilm for versatile spectroscopy
Matthew J Silverstein1, Yasashri Ranathunga1, Yuki Kobayashi2
1Department of Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, USA.
The Review of Scientific Instruments
|December 10, 2025
Summary
This study introduces a 3D-printed device for creating stable, tunable liquid microfilms for spectroscopy. The innovative design ensures reproducibility and versatility across various spectroscopic techniques.
Area of Science:
- Spectroscopy
- Instrumentation
- 3D Printing
Background:
- Liquid microfilms are essential for various spectroscopic analyses.
- Developing stable and tunable liquid microfilms presents significant challenges.
- Existing methods for generating liquid microfilms can be complex and expensive.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present a novel 3D-printing-based design for producing wire-guided liquid microfilms.
- To demonstrate the versatility and reproducibility of the developed instrument for spectroscopic applications.
- To enable faster adoption of experimental techniques through accessible instrumentation.
Main Methods:
- Utilized 3D printing to construct an enclosure for a wire-guided liquid microfilm generator.
- Characterized microfilm thickness tunability (25-180 μm) and temporal stability (<1.0% deviation).
- Tested the device's performance in Raman, fluorescence, and nonlinear spectroscopy.
Main Results:
- Achieved optically useful liquid microfilms with tunable thicknesses from 25-180 μm.
- Demonstrated high spatial homogeneity and stability over 10 hours.
- Confirmed the device's versatility across multiple spectroscopic methods (Raman, fluorescence, nonlinear).
- Highlighted the high reproducibility attributed to the 3D-printed design.
Conclusions:
- The 3D-printed wire-guided liquid microfilm device is a versatile and reproducible platform for spectroscopy.
- This approach facilitates the creation of stable, tunable liquid microfilms, enhancing spectroscopic capabilities.
- The feasibility of applying 3D printing to instrumentation design accelerates the adoption of advanced experimental techniques.
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