Process integration of microtubes for fluidic applications

Three-dimensional InGaAs∕GaAs microtubes are integrated by photolithography into a microfluidic device. The integration process, made possible due to advances in fabricating long, homogeneous rolled-up microtubes, is described in detail. Liquid filling and emptying of individual microtubes, and the final microfluidic device are investigated by video microscopy. The authors find an agreement for their channels with the Washburn equation [Phys. Rev. 17, 273 (1921)] for filling using a modified capillary pressure fit to experimental conditions. Emptying of a vacuum pumped microfluidic device also qualitatively agrees with theory. The results suggest rolled-up micro- and nanotubes as possible systems to provide fully integrative fluid analysis on a chip.

[1]  M. Woźniak,et al.  The method of contact angle measurements and estimation of work of adhesion in bioleaching of metals , 1998, Biological Procedures Online.

[2]  V. Prinz,et al.  Directional rolling of strained heterofilms , 2002 .

[3]  Albert van den Berg,et al.  Capillarity Induced Negative Pressure of Water Plugs in Nanochannels , 2003 .

[4]  Vijay Namasivayam,et al.  Transpiration-based micropump for delivering continuous ultra-low flow rates , 2003 .

[5]  Lithographic positioning, areal density increase and fluid transport in rolled-up nanotubes , 2004 .

[6]  O. Schmidt,et al.  Free-standing SiGe-based nanopipelines on Si (001) substrates , 2001 .

[7]  M. A. Putyato,et al.  Free-standing and overgrown InGaAs/GaAs nanotubes, nanohelices and their arrays , 2000 .

[8]  Y. Nakamura,et al.  Nanotechnology — Bottom-up Meets Top-down , 2002 .

[9]  Darwin R. Reyes,et al.  Micro total analysis systems. 1. Introduction, theory, and technology. , 2002, Analytical chemistry.

[10]  N. D. de Rooij,et al.  Filling kinetics of liquids in nanochannels as narrow as 27 nm by capillary force. , 2006, Journal of colloid and interface science.

[11]  E. Delamarche,et al.  Microfluidics for Processing Surfaces and Miniaturizing Biological Assays , 2005 .

[12]  O. Schmidt,et al.  Nanotechnology: Thin solid films roll up into nanotubes , 2001, Nature.

[13]  Jan Eijkel,et al.  Evaporation driven pumping for chromatography application. , 2002, Lab on a chip.

[14]  Oliver G. Schmidt,et al.  Diameter scalability of rolled-up In(Ga)As/GaAs nanotubes , 2002 .

[15]  E. W. Washburn.  The Dynamics of Capillary Flow , 1921 .

[16]  Darwin R. Reyes,et al.  Micro total analysis systems. 2. Analytical standard operations and applications. , 2002, Analytical chemistry.

[17]  Oliver G. Schmidt,et al.  Self-assembled nanoholes, lateral quantum-dot molecules, and rolled-up nanotubes , 2002 .

[18]  R. C. Weast.  CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics , 1973 .

[19]  I. Lazar,et al.  Microfabricated devices: A new sample introduction approach to mass spectrometry. , 2006, Mass spectrometry reviews.

[20]  O. Schmidt,et al.  Real-time formation, accurate positioning, and fluid filling of single rolled-up nanotubes , 2004 .

[21]  H. Kawaguchi,et al.  Use of HBr ‐ CH 3 COOH ‐ K 2Cr2 O 7 Etchant to Etched‐Mirror Laser Fabrication , 1982 .

[22]  Miko Elwenspoek,et al.  Capillary filling speed of water in nanochannels , 2004 .

[23]  Zorin,et al.  Surface Tension and Dynamic Contact Angle of Water in Thin Quartz Capillaries. , 2000, Journal of colloid and interface science.

[24]  J. Sturm,et al.  Micro- and nanofluidics for DNA analysis , 2004, Analytical and bioanalytical chemistry.

[25]  J. Eijkel,et al.  Nanofluidics: what is it and what can we expect from it? , 2005 .

[26]  G. Whitesides.  The origins and the future of microfluidics , 2006, Nature.

[27]  Paul J. A. Kenis,et al.  Materials for Micro- and Nanofluidics , 2006 .

[28]  David W. M. Marr,et al.  Hydrodynamic focusing for vacuum-pumped microfluidics , 2005 .