Three-dimensional fluidic microsystem fabricated in Low Temperature Cofired Ceramic Technology

A three-dimensional (3D) Low Temperature Cofired Ceramics (LTCC) fluidic microsystem integrated with an optical detection unit is presented in this article. The structure is applied to quantitative analysis of chemical compounds using colorimetric methods. The fabricated microfluidic system consists of a serpentine mixer, fluidic channels, heater, embedded temperature sensor and integrated optical fibers for detection of light transmission and/or fluorescence. A new inexpensive material for the embedded temperature sensor is described. The fluidic system is designed using computer CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) simulations. Fluid flow in the mixer is observed through a transparent polymer material bonded to the LTCC structure. The importance of positioning of optical fibers and their influence on the absorbance and fluorescence measurements is presented.