Fluidics

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Fluidic channels with bell-like cross sections can be written at speeds of 1 cm/s by using femtosecond laser pulses to selectively delaminate thermal oxide films (1200 nm) from Si(100) substrates. The width of these channels range from 24 – 320 micrometers, with heights ranging from 355 nm – 15 micrometers. Fluid flow rates via capillary action were measured for channels of widths 105 – 320 micrometers, yielding rates ranging from 6.2 – 17.5 mm/s (+/- 1.6 mm/s). The focus of this project is to improve the direct write process by producing channels faster, in parallel, and with geometries suitable for fluidic device applications.