On‐chip laser processing for the development of multifunctional microfluidic chips

In the development of microfluidic chips, conventional 2D processing technologies contribute to the manufacturing of basic microchannel networks. Nevertheless, in the pursuit of versatile microfluidic chips, flexible integration of multifunctional components within a tiny chip is still challenging because a chip containing micro-channels is a non-flat substrate. Recently, on-chip laser processing (OCLP) technology has emerged as an appealing alternative to achieve chip functionalization through in situ fabrication of 3D microstructures. Here, the recent development of OCLP-enabled multifunctional microfluidic chips, including several accessible photochemical/photophysical schemes, and photosensitive materials permiting OCLP, is reviewed. To demonstrate the capability of OCLP technology, a series of typical micro-components fabricated using OCLP are introduced. The prospects and current challenges of this field are discussed.