Single-mask Step Integration of High-aspect Ratio Sub-micrometer Channels, Pure Silica Waveguides and Fiber Couplers for Separation Chips

摘要: A fabrication procedure that allows integration of pure silica optical waveguides, fiber-towaveguide coupler structures and high-aspect ratio submicrometer-sized fluidic channels using a single photolithographic mask step has been developed. The propagation loss of the waveguides was only 0.8 dB/cm at 200 nm, which to our knowledge is the lowest loss reported in the UV region. The devices were furthermore tested by performing capillary electrophoretic separations with absorbance detection at 254 nm of the drugs caffein, paracetamol and ketoprofone. The limit of detection for paracetamol filled in the whole channel network was 3 µg/mL.