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Article

Implementation of a Single Emulsion Mask for Three-Dimensional (3D) Microstructure Fabrication of Micromixers Using the Grayscale Photolithography Technique

1
Collaborative Microelectronic Design Excellence Center (CEDEC), Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), [email protected], Pulau Pinang 11900, Malaysia
2
Faculty of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia, Parit Raja, Johor 86400, Malaysia
3
Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Universiti Teknologi MARA Cawangan Pulau Pinang, Pulau Pinang 14000, Malaysia
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Micromachines 2020, 11(6), 548; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi11060548
Received: 24 April 2020 / Revised: 15 May 2020 / Accepted: 21 May 2020 / Published: 29 May 2020
(This article belongs to the Section E:Engineering and Technology)
Three-dimensional (3D) microstructures have been exploited in various applications of microfluidic devices. Multilevel structures in micromixers are among the essential structures in microfluidic devices that exploit 3D microstructures for different tasks. The efficiency of the micromixing process is thus crucial, as it affects the overall performance of a microfluidic device. Microstructures are currently fabricated by less effective techniques due to a slow point-to-point and layer-by-layer pattern exposure by using sophisticated and expensive equipment. In this work, a grayscale photolithography technique is proposed with the capability of simultaneous control on lateral and vertical dimensions of microstructures in a single mask implementation. Negative photoresist SU8 is used for mould realisation with structural height ranging from 163.8 to 1108.7 µm at grayscale concentration between 60% to 98%, depending on the UV exposure time. This technique is exploited in passive micromixers fabrication with multilevel structures to study the mixing performance. Based on optical absorbance analysis, it is observed that 3D serpentine structure gives the best mixing performance among other types of micromixers. View Full-Text
Keywords: grayscale photolithography technique; micromixer; mixing performance; 3D microstructures grayscale photolithography technique; micromixer; mixing performance; 3D microstructures
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MDPI and ACS Style

Abdul Hamid, I.S.L.; Khi Khim, B.; Sal Hamid, S.; Abd Rahman, M.F.; Abd Manaf, A. Implementation of a Single Emulsion Mask for Three-Dimensional (3D) Microstructure Fabrication of Micromixers Using the Grayscale Photolithography Technique. Micromachines 2020, 11, 548. https://doi.org/10.3390/mi11060548

AMA Style

Abdul Hamid ISL, Khi Khim B, Sal Hamid S, Abd Rahman MF, Abd Manaf A. Implementation of a Single Emulsion Mask for Three-Dimensional (3D) Microstructure Fabrication of Micromixers Using the Grayscale Photolithography Technique. Micromachines. 2020; 11(6):548. https://doi.org/10.3390/mi11060548

Chicago/Turabian Style

Abdul Hamid, Intan S.L., Beh Khi Khim, Sofiyah Sal Hamid, Mohamad F. Abd Rahman, and Asrulnizam Abd Manaf. 2020. "Implementation of a Single Emulsion Mask for Three-Dimensional (3D) Microstructure Fabrication of Micromixers Using the Grayscale Photolithography Technique" Micromachines 11, no. 6: 548. https://doi.org/10.3390/mi11060548

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