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Optofluidics 2015

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A special issue of Micromachines (ISSN 2072-666X).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (29 February 2016) | Viewed by 80364

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Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Shih-Kang Fan

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Guest Editor

Department of Mechanical Enginnering, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan
Interests: electrowetting; dielectrophoresis; electro-microfluidics; digital microfluidics; tissue engineering; optofluidics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Da-Jeng Yao

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Guest Editor

1. Institute of Nano Engineering and MicroSystems, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu 30013, Taiwan
2. Department of Power Mechanical Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu 30013, Taiwan
3. Department of Engineering and System Science, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu 30013, Taiwan
Interests: digital microfluidics; intelligent gas sensing system; in vitro fertilization on a chip, and tera hertz system and its applications
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Dr. Yi-Chung Tung

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Guest Editor

Research Center for Applied Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan
Interests: integrated biomedical microdevices; cell culture in various micro-environments; micro/nanofluidics; advanced micro/nano fabrication techniques
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Optofluidics combines and integrates optics and fluidics to produce versatile systems that are achievable only with difficulty through either field alone. With the spatial and temporal control of the microfluids, the optical properties can be varied, providing highly flexible, tunable, and reconfigurable optical systems. Since the emergence of optofluidics, numerous systems with varied configurations have been developed and applied to imaging, light routing, bio-sensors, energy, and other fields. This Special Issue aims to collect high quality research papers, short communications, and review articles that focus on optofluidics, micro/nano technology, and related multidisciplinary emerging fields. The special issue will also publish selected papers from the 5th Optofluidics 2015 conference (http://www.optofluidics2015.org/), 26–28 July 2015, Taipei, Taiwan. The aim of optofluidics 2015 conference is to provide a forum to promote scientific exchange and to foster closer networks and collaborative ties between leading international optics and micro/nanofluidics researchers across various disciplines. The scope of Optofluidics 2015 is deliberately broad and interdisciplinary, encompassing the latest advances and the most innovative developments in micro/nanoscale science and technology. Topics range from fundamental research to its applications in chemistry, physics, biology, materials and medicine. We are cordially inviting you to submit your manuscript to the Special Issue and also join us in Optofluidics 2015 conference to share the news in optics, fluidics, microsystems, and related emerging fields.

Prof. Dr. Shih-Kang Fan

Prof. Dr. Da-Jeng Yao

Prof. Dr. Yi-Chung Tung

Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Micromachines is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

micro-/nano-fluidics;
optical devices and systems;
plasmonics and metamaterials;
biochemical sensors and assays;
optical imaging and light sources;
fabrication and materials;
energy and environment;
optofluidic & 3D displays;
droplets and emulsions

Related Special Issue

Optofluidic Microlasers in Micromachines

Published Papers (10 papers)

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Research

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6669 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Optofluidic Fabry-Pérot Micro-Cavities Comprising Curved Surfaces for Homogeneous Liquid Refractometry—Design, Simulation, and Experimental Performance Assessment

by Noha Gaber, Yasser M. Sabry, Frédéric Marty and Tarik Bourouina

Micromachines 2016, 7(4), 62; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi7040062 - 07 Apr 2016

Cited by 17 | Viewed by 5985

Abstract

In the scope of miniaturized optical sensors for liquid refractometry, this work details the design, numerical simulation, and experimental characterization of a Fabry-Pérot resonator consisting of two deeply-etched silicon cylindrical mirrors with a micro-tube in between holding the liquid analyte under study. The curved surfaces of the tube and the cylindrical mirrors provide three-dimensional light confinement and enable achieving stability for the cavity illuminated by a Gaussian beam input. The resonant optofluidic cavity attains a high-quality factor (Q)—over 2800—which is necessary for a sensitive refractometer, not only by providing a sharp interference spectrum peak that enables accurate tracing of the peak wavelengths shifts, but also by providing steep side peaks, which enables detection of refractive index changes by power level variations when operating at a fixed wavelength. The latter method can achieve refractometry without the need for spectroscopy tools, provided certain criteria explained in the details are met. By experimentally measuring mixtures of acetone-toluene with different ratios, refractive index variations of 0.0005 < Δn < 0.0022 could be detected, with sensitivity as high as 5500 μW/RIU. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optofluidics 2015)

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5050 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Two-Layer Microstructures Fabricated by One-Step Anisotropic Wet Etching of Si in KOH Solution

by Han Lu, Hua Zhang, Mingliang Jin, Tao He, Guofu Zhou and Lingling Shui

Micromachines 2016, 7(2), 19; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi7020019 - 25 Jan 2016

Cited by 17 | Viewed by 7322

Abstract

Anisotropic etching of silicon in potassium hydroxide (KOH) is an important technology in micromachining. The residue deposition from KOH etching of Si is typically regarded as a disadvantage of this technology. In this report, we make use of this residue as a second masking layer to fabricate two-layer complex structures. Square patterns with size in the range of 15–150 μm and gap distance of 5 μm have been designed and tested. The residue masking layer appears when the substrate is over-etched in hydrofluoric acid (HF) solution over a threshold. The two-layer structures of micropyramids surrounded by wall-like structures are obtained according to the two different masking layers of SiO₂ and residue. The residue masking layer is stable and can survive over KOH etching for long time to achieve deep Si etching. The process parameters of etchant concentration, temperature, etching time and pattern size have been investigated. With well-controlled two-layer structures, useful structures could be designed for applications in plasmonic and microfluidic devices in the future. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optofluidics 2015)

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5280 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Fluid Flow Shear Stress Stimulation on a Multiplex Microfluidic Device for Rat Bone Marrow Stromal Cell Differentiation Enhancement

by Chia-Wen Tsao, Yu-Che Cheng and Jhih-Hao Cheng

Micromachines 2015, 6(12), 1996-2009; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi6121470 - 11 Dec 2015

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 8592

Abstract

Microfluidic devices provide low sample consumption, high throughput, high integration, and good environment controllability advantages. An alternative to conventional bioreactors, microfluidic devices are a simple and effective platform for stem cell investigations. In this study, we describe the design of a microfluidic device as a chemical and mechanical shear stress bioreactor to stimulate rat bone marrow stromal cells (rBMSCs) into neuronal cells. 1-methyl-3-isobutylxanthine (IBMX) was used as a chemical reagent to induce rBMSCs differentiation into neurons. Furthermore, the shear stress applied to rBMSCs was generated by laminar microflow in the microchannel. Four parallel microfluidic chambers were designed to provide a multiplex culture platform, and both the microfluidic chamber-to-chamber, as well as microfluidic device-to-device, culture stability were evaluated. Our research shows that rBMSCs were uniformly cultured in the microfluidic device and differentiated into neuronal cells with IBMX induction. A three-fold increase in the neuronal cell differentiation ratio was noted when rBMSCs were subjected to both IBMX and fluid flow shear stress stimulation. Here, we propose a microfluidic device which is capable of providing chemical and physical stimulation, and could accelerate neuronal cell differentiation from bone marrow stromal cells. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optofluidics 2015)

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3876 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Liquid Gradient Refractive Index Microlens for Dynamically Adjusting the Beam Focusing

by Zichun Le, Yunli Sun and Ying Du

Micromachines 2015, 6(12), 1984-1995; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi6121469 - 10 Dec 2015

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 5500

Abstract

An in-plane liquid gradient index (L-GRIN) microlens is designed for dynamically adjusting the beam focusing. The ethylene glycol solution (core liquid) withde-ionized (DI) water (cladding liquid) is co-injected into the lens chamber to form a gradient refractive index profile. The influences of the diffusion coefficient, mass fraction of ethylene glycol and flow rate of liquids on the refractive index profile of L-GRIN microlens are analyzed, and the finite element method and ray tracing method are used to simulate the convection-diffusion process and beam focusing process, which is helpful for the prediction of focusing effects and manipulation of the device. It is found that not only the focal length but the focal spot of the output beam can be adjusted by the diffusion coefficient, mass fraction and flow rate of liquids. The focal length of the microlens varies from 942 to 11 μm when the mass fraction of the ethylene glycol solution varies from 0.05 to 0.4, and the focal length changes from 127.1 to 8 μm by varying the flow rate of the core liquid from 0.5 × 10³ to 5 × 10³ pL/s when there is no slip between the core and cladding inlet. The multiple adjustable microlens with a simple planar microfluidic structure can be used in integrated optics and lab-on-chip systems. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optofluidics 2015)

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5138 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Fiber-Based, Injection-Molded Optofluidic Systems: Improvements in Assembly and Applications

by Marco Matteucci, Marco Triches, Giovanni Nava, Anders Kristensen, Mark R. Pollard, Kirstine Berg-Sørensen and Rafael J. Taboryski

Micromachines 2015, 6(12), 1971-1983; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi6121468 - 09 Dec 2015

Cited by 16 | Viewed by 9147

Abstract

We present a method to fabricate polymer optofluidic systems by means of injection molding that allow the insertion of standard optical fibers. The chip fabrication and assembly methods produce large numbers of robust optofluidic systems that can be easily assembled and disposed of, yet allow precise optical alignment and improve delivery of optical power. Using a multi-level chip fabrication process, complex channel designs with extremely vertical sidewalls, and dimensions that range from few tens of nanometers to hundreds of microns can be obtained. The technology has been used to align optical fibers in a quick and precise manner, with a lateral alignment accuracy of 2.7 ± 1.8 μm. We report the production, assembly methods, and the characterization of the resulting injection-molded chips for Lab-on-Chip (LoC) applications. We demonstrate the versatility of this technology by carrying out two types of experiments that benefit from the improved optical system: optical stretching of red blood cells (RBCs) and Raman spectroscopy of a solution loaded into a hollow core fiber. The advantages offered by the presented technology are intended to encourage the use of LoC technology for commercialization and educational purposes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optofluidics 2015)

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Review

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31937 KiB

Open AccessReview

A Comprehensive Review of Optical Stretcher for Cell Mechanical Characterization at Single-Cell Level

by Tie Yang, Francesca Bragheri and Paolo Minzioni

Micromachines 2016, 7(5), 90; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi7050090 - 13 May 2016

Cited by 50 | Viewed by 11897

Abstract

This paper presents a comprehensive review of the development of the optical stretcher, a powerful optofluidic device for single cell mechanical study by using optical force induced cell stretching. The different techniques and the different materials for the fabrication of the optical stretcher are first summarized. A short description of the optical-stretching mechanism is then given, highlighting the optical force calculation and the cell optical deformability characterization. Subsequently, the implementations of the optical stretcher in various cell-mechanics studies are shown on different types of cells. Afterwards, two new advancements on optical stretcher applications are also introduced: the active cell sorting based on cell mechanical characterization and the temperature effect on cell stretching measurement from laser-induced heating. Two examples of new functionalities developed with the optical stretcher are also included. Finally, the current major limitation and the future development possibilities are discussed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optofluidics 2015)

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2733 KiB

Open AccessReview

Optofluidic Device Based Microflow Cytometers for Particle/Cell Detection: A Review

by Yushan Zhang, Benjamin R. Watts, Tianyi Guo, Zhiyi Zhang, Changqing Xu and Qiyin Fang

Micromachines 2016, 7(4), 70; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi7040070 - 15 Apr 2016

Cited by 29 | Viewed by 9010

Abstract

Optofluidic devices combining micro-optical and microfluidic components bring a host of new advantages to conventional microfluidic devices. Aspects, such as optical beam shaping, can be integrated on-chip and provide high-sensitivity and built-in optical alignment. Optofluidic microflow cytometers have been demonstrated in applications, such as point-of-care diagnostics, cellular immunophenotyping, rare cell analysis, genomics and analytical chemistry. Flow control, light guiding and collecting, data collection and data analysis are the four main techniques attributed to the performance of the optofluidic microflow cytometer. Each of the four areas is discussed in detail to show the basic principles and recent developments. 3D microfabrication techniques are discussed in their use to make these novel microfluidic devices, and the integration of the whole system takes advantage of the miniaturization of each sub-system. The combination of these different techniques is a spur to the development of microflow cytometers, and results show the performance of many types of microflow cytometers developed recently. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optofluidics 2015)

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4384 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperReview

Liquid Core ARROW Waveguides: A Promising Photonic Structure for Integrated Optofluidic Microsensors

by Genni Testa, Gianluca Persichetti and Romeo Bernini

Micromachines 2016, 7(3), 47; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi7030047 - 11 Mar 2016

Cited by 29 | Viewed by 7753

Abstract

In this paper, we introduce a liquid core antiresonant reflecting optical waveguide (ARROW) as a novel optofluidic device that can be used to create innovative and highly functional microsensors. Liquid core ARROWs, with their dual ability to guide the light and the fluids in the same microchannel, have shown great potential as an optofluidic tool for quantitative spectroscopic analysis. ARROWs feature a planar architecture and, hence, are particularly attractive for chip scale integrated system. Step by step, several improvements have been made in recent years towards the implementation of these waveguides in a complete on-chip system for highly-sensitive detection down to the single molecule level. We review applications of liquid ARROWs for fluids sensing and discuss recent results and trends in the developments and applications of liquid ARROW in biomedical and biochemical research. The results outlined show that the strong light matter interaction occurring in the optofluidic channel of an ARROW and the versatility offered by the fabrication methods makes these waveguides a very promising building block for optofluidic sensor development. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optofluidics 2015)

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3032 KiB

Open AccessReview

Opto-Microfluidic Immunosensors: From Colorimetric to Plasmonic

by Jie-Long He, Da-Shin Wang and Shih-Kang Fan

Micromachines 2016, 7(2), 29; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi7020029 - 15 Feb 2016

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 7165

Abstract

Optical detection has long been the most popular technique in immunosensing. Recent developments in the synthesis of luminescent probes and the fabrication of novel nanostructures enable more sensitive and efficient optical detection, which can be miniaturized and integrated with microfluidics to realize compact lab-on-a-chip immunosensors. These immunosensors are portable, economical and automated, but their sensitivity is not compromised. This review focuses on the incorporation and implementation of optical detection and microfluidics in immunosensors; it introduces the working principles of each optical detection technique and how it can be exploited in immunosensing. The recent progress in various opto-microfluidic immunosensor designs is described. Instead of being comprehensive to include all opto-microfluidic platforms, the report centers on the designs that are promising for point-of-care immunosensing diagnostics, in which ease of use, stability and cost-effective fabrication are emphasized. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optofluidics 2015)

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3110 KiB

Open AccessReview

Constriction Channel Based Single-Cell Mechanical Property Characterization

by Chengcheng Xue, Junbo Wang, Yang Zhao, Deyong Chen, Wentao Yue and Jian Chen

Micromachines 2015, 6(11), 1794-1804; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi6111457 - 16 Nov 2015

Cited by 29 | Viewed by 7070

Abstract

This mini-review presents recent progresses in the development of microfluidic constriction channels enabling high-throughput mechanical property characterization of single cells. We first summarized the applications of the constriction channel design in quantifying mechanical properties of various types of cells including red blood cells, white blood cells, and tumor cells. Then we highlighted the efforts in modeling the cellular entry process into the constriction channel, enabling the translation of raw mechanical data (e.g., cellular entry time into the constriction channel) into intrinsic cellular mechanical properties such as cortical tension or Young’s modulus. In the end, current limitations and future research opportunities of the microfluidic constriction channels were discussed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optofluidics 2015)

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