Microfabricated silicon flow-cell for optical monitoring of biological fluids

The feasibility of the optical monitoring of biological fluids, for example, albumin in serum, in a microfabricated silicon flow cell has been demonstrated. This module couples a fiber-optic reflection probe (one emitting fiber and six receiving fibers) to a small-volume silicon flow-cell (in µl range) for reflection-absorption measurements. The coupling efficiency of light between the optical fibers in such a system has been calculated (7.07%), and its optimum values (19.5% - 19.6%) as a function of the cover glass thickness and the silicon channel depth predicted.