LAUSR

Micro total analysis system or Lab-on-a-chip, in which microfluidic chips are significant components, has caused wide attention in recent years. CD/DVD manufacturing technology is a highly efficient and low-cost solution to fabricate microfluidic chips. In this paper, microfluidic chips made of polycarbonate (PC) were firstly fabricated by CD/DVD manufacturing technology. The manufacturing process is divided to five main sub-processes which are photomask fabrication, photolithography, electroforming, stamping and thermal bonding. Besides, by repeatedly bonding for three times, the bonding success percentage of the chip could reach about 98 %. The surface roughness of the microstructure in microfluidic chips which has significant influences on thermal bonding success percentage and test results are also detailedly studied. Surface roughness of SU-8 pattern, Ni stamper and cover slips of PC microfluidic chips was measured and analyzed. In the process of electroforming and stamping, the surface roughness is increased. Moreover, influences of cover slips’ surface roughness on thermal bonding are analyzed by bonding five groups of cover slips on PC plates with different average surface roughness. The thermal bonding success percentage is obviously reduced with the increase of average surface roughness.