Packaging of disposable chips for bioanalytical applications [microfluidics]

In this paper, the realization of microfluidic packages by bonding several stacked layers of microstructured polymer films in a reel-to-reel manufacturing system is shown to be a promising approach. The smart division between disposable and reusable system parts as well as the careful selection of materials, based on microstructuring, bonding, biocompatibility and auto fluorescence criteria may lead to bioanalytical devices with a very competitive cost of ownership per test. For the realization of such microfluidic disposables, microstructuring technologies based on UV laser micromachining, bonding technologies based on thermal diffusion, adhesives and microwave sealing using conductive polymers, and surface modification approaches for the reduction of non-specific protein binding are discussed.