Issue 15, 2010

Monolithic PDMS passband filters for fluorescence detection

Abstract

We present the fabrication and characteristics of monolithically integrated ink dyed poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) filters for optical sensing in disposable lab-on-a-chip. This represents a migration of auxillary functions onto the disposable chip with the goal of producing truly portable systems. Filters made from commercially available ink (Pelikan) directly mixed into PDMS oligomer without the use of any additional solvents were patterned with standard soft lithography technologies. Furthermore, a fabrication process based on capillary forces is presented allowing PDMS coloration of arbitrary shapes. Different filters of varying thickness fabricated using red, green and blue ink in four different concentrations were characterized. The optimal performance was found with filter thicknesses of 250 μm and ink to PDMS ratios of 0.1 (mL ink : mL PDMS oligomer) resulting in a transmittance ranging from −15.1 dB to −12.3 dB in the stopband and from −4.0 dB to −2.5 dB in the passband. Additionally, we demonstrate the robustness of this approach as the ink dyed PDMS filters do not exhibit temporal ageing due to diffusion or autofluorescence. We also show that such filters can easily be integrated in fluorescence systems, with stopbands efficient enough to allow fluorescence measurements under non-optimal conditions (broadband excitation, 180° configuration). Integrated ink dyed PDMS filters add robust optical functionalities to disposable microdevices at a low cost and will enable the use of these devices for a wide range of fluorescence and absorbance based biological and chemical analysis.

Graphical abstract: Monolithic PDMS passband filters for fluorescence detection

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Technical Note
Submitted
23 Feb 2010
Accepted
27 Apr 2010
First published
18 May 2010

Lab Chip, 2010,10, 1987-1992

Monolithic PDMS passband filters for fluorescence detection

A. Llobera, S. Demming, H. N. Joensson, J. Vila-Planas, H. Andersson-Svahn and S. Büttgenbach, Lab Chip, 2010, 10, 1987 DOI: 10.1039/C003575K

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