Publications

Abstract not provided.

Sandia and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories are developing a briefcase-sized, broad-spectrum bioagent detection system. This autonomous instrument, the BioBriefcase, will monitor the environment and warn against bacterium, virus, and toxin based biological attacks. At the heart of this device, inexpensive polymer microfluidic chips will carry out sample preparation and analysis. Fabrication of polymer microfluidic chips involves the creation of a master in etched glass; plating of the master to produce a nickel stamp; large lot chip replication by injection molding; and thermal chip sealing. Since the performance and reliability of microfluidic chips are very sensitive to fluidic impedance and to electromagnetic fluxes, the microchannel dimensions and shape have to be tightly controlled during chip fabrication. In this talk, we will present an overview of chip design and fabrication. Metrology data collected at different fabrication steps and the dimensional deviations of the polymer chip from the original design will be discussed.

Abstract not provided.

Abstract not provided.

Autonomous bio-chemical agent detectors require sample preparation involving multiplex fluid control. We have developed a portable microfluidic pump array for metering sub-microliter volumes at flowrates of 1-100 {micro}L/min. Each pump is composed of an electrokinetic (EK) pump and high-voltage power supply with 15-Hz feedback from flow sensors. The combination of high pump fluid impedance and active control results in precise fluid metering with nanoliter accuracy. Automated sample preparation will be demonstrated by labeling proteins with fluorescamine and subsequent injection to a capillary gel electrophoresis (CGE) chip.