Laser direct writing 3D structures for microfluidic channels: flow meter and mixer

Chih-Lang Lin; Yi-Jui Liu; Zheng-Da Lin; Bo-Long Wu; Yi-Hsiung Lee; Chow-Shing Shin; Patrice L. Baldeck

doi:10.1117/12.2079547

5 March 2015 Laser direct writing 3D structures for microfluidic channels: flow meter and mixer

Chih-Lang Lin, Yi-Jui Liu, Zheng-Da Lin, Bo-Long Wu, Yi-Hsiung Lee, Chow-Shing Shin, Patrice L. Baldeck

Proceedings Volume 9320, Microfluidics, BioMEMS, and Medical Microsystems XIII; 93200H (2015) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2079547
Event: SPIE BiOS, 2015, San Francisco, California, United States

Abstract

The 3D laser direct-writing technology is aimed at the modeling of arbitrary three-dimensional (3D) complex microstructures by scanning a laser-focusing point along predetermined trajectories. Through the perspective technique, the details of designed 3D structures can be properly fabricated in a microchannel. This study introduces a direct reading flow meter and a 3D passive mixer fabricated by laser direct writing for microfluidic applications. The flow meter consists of two rod-shaped springs, a pillar, an anchor, and a wedge-shaped indicator, installed inside a microfluidic channel. The indicator is deflected by the flowing fluid while restrained by the spring to establish an equilibrium indication according to the flow rate. The measurement is readily carried out by optical microscopy observation. The 3D passive Archimedes-screw-shaped mixer is designed to disturb the laminar flow 3D direction for enhancing the mixing efficiency. The simulation results indicate that the screw provides 3D disturbance of streamlines in the microchannel. The mixing demonstration for fluids flowing in the micrchannel approximately agrees with the simulation result. Thanks to the advantage of the laser direct writing technology, this study performs the ingenious applications of 3D structures for microchannels.

Citation Download Citation

Chih-Lang Lin, Yi-Jui Liu, Zheng-Da Lin, Bo-Long Wu, Yi-Hsiung Lee, Chow-Shing Shin, and Patrice L. Baldeck "Laser direct writing 3D structures for microfluidic channels: flow meter and mixer", Proc. SPIE 9320, Microfluidics, BioMEMS, and Medical Microsystems XIII, 93200H (5 March 2015); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2079547

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