Femtosecond pulsed laser direct write production of nano- and microfluidic channels

Nano- and microfluidic channels were produced by selectively delaminating 1200nm thermally grown oxide films (SiO2) films from Si(100) substrates using a femtosecond pulsed laser. Single pass channels exhibiting bell-like cross sections with widths of 24μm and heights of 355nm were directly written at a speed of 1cm∕s, while larger channels (320μm in width and ∼15μm in height) were produced by laterally overlapping single pass channels. The results of an investigation of the interior surfaces of the channels via atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy are presented.