Disposable integrated microfluidics with self-aligned planar microlenses

Design, fabrication, and characterization of the disposable integrated microfluidic devices with self-aligned planar microlenses for the applications of bioanalytical system are described. The development of the polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-based disposable integrated microfluidics is realized by the monolithic integration of self-aligned two-dimensional (2D) planar micro-optics with microfluidic chips. The disposable integrated microfluidics with self-aligned planar microlenses allows increasing sensitivity of the device and reducing time-consuming optical alignments. The optical detection of the chips is based on the orthogonal arrangement of excitation light source via integrated 2D planar microlens onto the microfluidic channel and the collection of fluorescent emission. It provides an effective detection mechanism with increased signal-to-noise ratio and a simple 'lab-on-a-chip' platform with light emitting diodes (LEDs) as excitation sources and photodiodes as detectors. The 2D compound microlenses of the disposable integrated microfluidic devices promise minimized optical aberration, amplified fluorescence, and self-alignment of the micro-optical components of the bioanalysis systems. The disposable integrated microfluidic devices with self-aligned planar microlenses can be used effectively as low-cost, rapid, and sensitive diagnostic chips. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.