Design and fabrication of a mould with multiple inserts for a polymeric microfluidic device

The present paper reports the design and fabrication of a mould for mass production of a microfluidic device, "optical stretcher lab-on-chip, a dual-beam optical trap that is used for trapping and deforming micrometer-sized particles. In particular, the mould is designed considering multiple and interchangeable inserts for realizing different microfeatures adopting different processes. Microchannel, reservoirs and V-grooves have been machined via femtosecond laser process due its capability to process large surface areas with relatively small depth features and high removal rate. On the contrary, complex 3D micro features with high aspect ratio for inverse capillary tube housing have been manufactured via ?-electro-discharge-machining technology, since fine pulse discharges can be used to ensure high precision and good surface roughness. Three-dimensional filling numerical analysis has been also performed to improve the device design for the ?-injection moulding process and to set the optimized process parameters. Several prototypes of the Lab-on-chip have been fabricated and experimental tests have been performed, showing the feasibility of this technological approach