Currently, one may find a wide variety of approaches for integrated lab-on-chip systems developed for applications in
the biomedical field. Our contributions within the area of polymer based photonic systems are presented here. We are
utilizing mass production techniques and head for lab-on-a-chip systems with solely optical and fluidic interfaces,
avoiding electrical interconnects. Fluidic structures are implemented in the chips mainly by using the same technologies,
which are chosen to create the optical elements. While photonic structures may require dimensions in the sub-100 nm
range, microfluidic channels are more than one order of magnitude above this regime. Nevertheless, our approach allows
for a limited number of process steps by simultaneous multiscale fabrication. Organic semiconductor lasers are generated
by evaporating a thin film of photoactive material on top of a distributed feedback (DFB) grating. Gratings are replicated
by hot embossing into poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) bulk material. The lasing wavelength in the visible light
regime of the on-chip lasers is selected by altering the thickness of the vacuum deposited organic semiconductor active
material or the DFB grating period. Waveguides are monolithically integrated in PMMA via photodegradation through
deep ultraviolet irradiation. The coupling of laser light into these waveguides is optimized. Hence, laser light is guided to
an interaction zone with a biological sample in the microfluidic channel on chip. Micro-optical cavities are designed and
processed to be functionalized for detecting biological binding events in the channel. Surface functionalization, e.g. by
Dip-Pen Nanolithography, is carried out for integrated label-free detection as well as for fluorescence excitation.
We report reconfigurable optofluidic photonic crystal components in silicon-based membranes by controllably
infiltrating and removing fluid from holes of the photonic crystal lattice. Systematic characterizations of our fluidically defined
microcavities are presented, corresponding with the capability to increase or decrease the span of the fluid-filled
regions and thus alter their optical properties. We show initial images of single-pore fluid infiltration for holes of
diameter 265 nm. Furthermore, the infiltration process may employ a large range of optical fluids, adding more
flexibility to engineer device functionality. We discuss the great potential offered by this optofluidic scheme for
integrated optofluidic circuits, sensing, fluorescence and plasmonic applications.
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