Wax Patterns by Decal-transfer-microlithography and Its Use for Low-temperature-bonding of Bio-functionalized Μtas

Regardless of the material used for the fabrication of microfluidic devices, the sealing of the open microchannels is necessary to produce the final enclosed fluidic paths. In this regard, bonding of lid substrate to the microchannel substrate remains as a critical step in any μTAS fabrication process. In this work, a new low-temperature bonding technique using a patterned wax layer is presented. Beeswax is used both as an adhesive layer between two glass substrates and as the separator layer defining the microchannels. Wax patterns of dimensions down to 50 μm were obtained by a DecalTransfer-Microlithography technique. The application of this low-temperature bonding process to the fabrication of biofunctionalized μTAS systems is also shown.