Publications

Abstract not provided.

Abstract not provided.

Microfabrication technology has been applied to the development of a miniature, multi-channel gas phase chemical laboratory that provides fast response, small size, and enhanced versatility and chemical discrimination. Each analysis channel includes a sample preconcentrator followed by a gas chromatographic separator and a chemically selective surface acoustic wave detector array to achieve high sensitivity and selectivity. The performance of the components, individually and collectively, is described.

A completely foundry compatible chip-scale package for surface micromachines has been successfully demonstrated. A pyrex (Corning 7740) glass cover is placed over the released surface micromachined die and anodically bonded to a planarized polysilicon bonding ring. Electrical feedthroughs for the surface micromachine pass underneath the polysilicon sealing ring. The package has been found to be hermetic with a leak rate of less than 5 x 10{sup {minus}8} atm cm{sup {minus}3}/s. This technology has applications in the areas of hermetic encapsulation and wafer level release and die separation.

We have designed and assembled two generations of integrated micro-optical systems that deliver pump light and detect broadband laser-induced fluorescence in micro-fluidic chemical separation systems employing electrochromatography. The goal is to maintain the sensitivity attainable with larger, tabletop machines while decreasing package size and increasing throughput (by decreasing the required chemical volume). One type of micro-optical system uses vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) as the excitation source. Light from the VCSELs is relayed with four-level surface relief diffractive optical elements (DOEs) and delivered to the chemical volume through substrate-mode propagation. Indirect fluorescence from dye-quenched chemical species is collected and collimated with a high numerical aperture DOE. A filter blocks the excitation wavelength, and the resulting signal is detected as the chemical separation proceeds. Variations of this original design include changing the combination of reflective and transmissive DOEs and optimizing the high numerical aperture DOE with a rotationally symmetric iterative discrete on-axis algorithm. We will discuss the results of these implemented optimizations.

The authors describe the design and microfabrication of an extremely compact optical system as a key element in an integrated capillary-channel electrochromatograph with laser induced fluorescence detection. The optical design uses substrate-mode propagation within the fused silica substrate. The optical system includes a vertical cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) array, two high performance microlenses and a commercial photodetector. The microlenses are multilevel diffractive optics patterned by electron beam lithography and etched by reactive ion etching in fused silica. Two generations of optical subsystems are described. The first generation design is integrated directly onto the capillary channel-containing substrate with a 6 mm separation between the VCSEL and photodetector. The second generation design separates the optical system onto its own module and the source to detector length is further compressed to 3.5 mm. The systems are designed for indirect fluorescence detection using infrared dyes. The first generation design has been tested with a 750 nm VCSEL exciting a 10{sup -4} M solution of CY-7 dye. The observed signal-to-noise ratio of better than 100:1 demonstrates that the background signal from scattered pump light is low despite the compact size of the optical system and meets the system sensitivity requirements.

A portable, autonomous, hand-held chemical laboratory ({micro}ChemLab{trademark}) is being developed for trace detection (ppb) of chemical warfare (CW) agents and explosives in real-world environments containing high concentrations of interfering compounds. Microfabrication is utilized to provide miniature, low-power components that are characterized by rapid, sensitive and selective response. Sensitivity and selectivity are enhanced using two parallel analysis channels, each containing the sequential connection of a front-end sample collector/concentrator, a gas chromatographic (GC) separator, and a surface acoustic wave (SAW) detector. Component design and fabrication and system performance are described.

We present a microelectronics fabrication compatible process that comprises photolithography and a key room temperature SiON thin film plasma deposition to define and seal a fluidic microduct network. Our single wafer process is independent of thermo-mechanical material properties, particulate cleaning, global flatness, assembly alignment, and glue medium application, which are crucial for wafer fusion bonding or sealing techniques using a glue medium. From our preliminary experiments, we have identified a processing window to fabricate channels on silicon, glass and quartz substrates. Channels with a radius of curvature between 8 and 50 {micro}m, are uniform along channel lengths of several inches and repeatable across the wafer surfaces. To further develop this technology, we have begun characterizing the SiON film properties such as elastic modulus using nanoindentation, and chemical bonding compatibility with other microelectronic materials.

For well resolved electrokinetic separation, we L tilize crystalline quartz to micromachine a uniformly packe Q&iKLmnel. Packing features are posts 5 Vm on a side with:} pm spacing and etched 42 Vm deep. In addition to anisotropic wet etch characteristics for micromachining, quartz propmties are compatible with chemical soiutioits, ekctrokinetic high voltage operation, and stationary phase film depositions. To seal these channels, we employ a room temperature silicon-oxynhride deposition to forma membrane, that is subsequently coated for mechanical stability. Using this technique, particulate issues and global warp, that make large area wafer bon ding methods difficult, are avoided, and a room temperature process, in contrast to high temperature bonding techniques, accommodate preprocessing of metal films for electrical interconnect. After sealing channels, a number of macro-assembly steps are required to attach a micro-optical detection system and fluid interconnects. Keywords: microcharmel, integrated channel, micromachined channel, packed channel, electrokinetic channel, eleetrophoretic channel