Function fabrication in a microfluidic device manufactured with a custom 3D printer. The functions may include, for example, transporting or routing fluid, fluid mixing through flow and/or diffusion, blocking fluid (valve), pumping fluid, providing chemical reaction regions, providing analyte capture regions, and providing analyte separation regions. The fluid may be a liquid or a gas.

A method for producing a cavity in a substrate composed of hard brittle material is provided. A laser beam of an ultrashort pulse laser is directed a side surface of the substrate and is concentrated by a focusing optical unit to form an elongated focus in the substrate. Incident energy of the laser beam produces a filament-shaped flaw in a volume of the substrate. The filament-shaped flaw extends into the volume to a predetermined depth and does not pass through the substrate. To produce the filament-shaped flaw, the ultrashort pulse laser radiates in a pulse or a pulse packet having at least two successive laser pulses. After at least two filament-shaped flaws are introduced, the substrate is exposed to an etching medium which removes material of the substrate and widens the at least two filament-shaped flaws to form filaments. At least two filaments are connected to form a cavity.

A method for producing a nanoscale channel structure disclosed. The method includes depositing and structuring a first sacrificial layer on a substrate, depositing a second sacrificial layer on the substrate and on the first sacrificial layer, depositing an etching masking layer on the second sacrificial layer, partly removing the etching masking layer and the second sacrificial layer, removing the first sacrificial layer and additionally partly removing the second sacrificial layer, depositing a wall layer on the etching masking layer and on the substrate, structuring access openings to the second sacrificial layer, and removing the remaining second sacrificial layer.

A 3D scaffold of a biocompatible polymer and colonized with biological cells is provided., The biological cells can be cultured to form a 3D cell culture construct that closely approximates a physiological architecture. A method for producing the 3D scaffold colonized with biological cells is also provided.

The present disclosure is drawn to inertial pumps. An inertial pump can include a microfluidic channel, a fluid actuator located in the microfluidic channel, and a check valve located in the microfluidic channel. The check valve can include a moveable valve element, a narrowed channel segment located upstream of the moveable valve element, and a blocking element formed in the microfluidic channel downstream of the moveable valve element. The narrowed channel segment can have a width less than a width of the moveable valve element so that the moveable valve element can block fluid flow through the check valve when the moveable valve element is positioned in the narrowed channel segment. The blocking element can be configured such that the blocking element constrains the moveable valve element within the check valve while also allowing fluid flow when the moveable valve element is positioned against the blocking element.

A method of manufacturing a component having a microfluidic structure, comprising embossing recesses in an embossed lacquer layer, partially curing the embossed lacquer layer, sealing the recesses with a curable bonding lacquer layer, and curing the partially cured embossing lacquer layer and the bonding lacquer layer, as well as a component obtainable by the method and the use of the component.

Embodiments herein disclose a method for fabricating high aspect ratio structures. The method includes depositing a predefined quantity of a viscoelastic fluid on a top surface of a bottom cell plate and compressing the viscoelastic fluid deposited on the top surface of the bottom cell plate using a bottom surface of a top cell plate. The viscoelastic fluid is a blend of a solvent and a polymer. At least one of the top cell plate and bottom cell plate comprises a plurality of lands, sealed source holes and/or unsealed source hole for penetration of a low-viscous fluid. Further, the method includes separating the top cell plate and the bottom cell plate to induce out of plane stretching of the high viscous fluid and obtaining a plurality of high aspect ratio structures between the top cell plate and the bottom cell plate due to the penetration of the low-viscous fluid.

A microstructure and a method for manufacturing the same includes: disposing a liquid film on a surface of a substrate, wherein a solid-liquid interface is formed where the liquid film is in contact with the substrate; and irradiating the substrate with a laser of a predetermined waveband to etch the substrate at the solid-liquid interface, wherein the position where the laser is irradiated on the solid-liquid interface moves at least along a direction parallel to the surface of the substrate, and the absorption rate of the liquid film for the laser is greater than the absorption rate of the substrate for the laser.

A liquid handling device has an accommodation part for accommodating a liquid, two or more flow paths each opening to a lower part of a side wall surface of the accommodation part, and a liquid movement suppression part that is disposed in the lower part of the side wall between the openings of two of the flow paths that are adjacent to each other and slows or stops the movement of the liquid along the corner formed by the lower surface of the accommodation part and the side wall surface.

A method of forming micro-channels in a plastic surface using a pressing device includes structuring a micro-channel forming tool for the pressing device to include a press end including a press surface that extends along a plane and a micro-channel detail positioned on the press end and extending beyond the plane of the press surface. The micro-channel detail includes a non-critical portion and a critical portion supported by the non-critical portion. The press end of the micro-channel forming tool is driven into the plastic surface at a predetermined force using a pressing device. Ultrasonic vibrations are applied to the micro-channel forming tool for a predetermined amount of time to melt portions of the plastic surface in contact with the pressing surface. The ultrasonic vibrations are removed after the predetermined amount of time has elapsed and the press end is retracted from the plastic surface.