Open AccessLow auto‐fluorescence fabrication methods for plastic nanoslits
Author(s) -
Yin Zhifu,
Qi Liping,
Zou Helin,
Sun Lei,
Xu Shenbo
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
iet nanobiotechnology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 1751-875X
DOI - 10.1049/iet-nbt.2015.0045
Subject(s) - polyethylene terephthalate , fabrication , fluorescence , materials science , polymer , layer (electronics) , nanotechnology , polymethyl methacrylate , polyethylene , optoelectronics , composite material , optics , medicine , alternative medicine , physics , pathology
Plastic nanofluidic devices are becoming increasingly important for biological and chemical applications. However, they suffer from high auto‐fluorescence when used for on‐chip optical detection. In this study, the auto‐fluorescence problem of plastic nanofluidic devices was remedied by newly developed fabrication methods that minimise their auto‐fluorescence: one by depositing a gold (Au) layer on them, the other by making them ultra‐thin. In the first method, the Au layer [minimum thickness is 40 nm on 150 μm SU‐8, 50 nm on 1 mm polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and 40 on 2 nm polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA)] blocks the auto‐fluorescence of the polymer; in the second method, auto‐fluorescence is minimised by making the chips ultra‐thin, selected operating thickness of SU‐8 is 20 μm, for PET it is 150 μm, and for PMMA it is 0.8 mm.