Non-contact reflectometric readout of disposable microfluidic devices by near infra-red low-coherence interferometry

Giulia Rigamonti; Marco Guardamagna; Sabina Merlo; Giulia Rigamonti; Marco Guardamagna; Sabina Merlo

doi:10.3934/biophy.2016.4.585

AIMS Biophysics

2016, Volume 3, Issue 4: 585-595. doi: 10.3934/biophy.2016.4.585

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Research article Topical Sections

Non-contact reflectometric readout of disposable microfluidic devices by near infra-red low-coherence interferometry

Dipartimento di Ingegneria Industriale e dell’Informazione, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy

Received: 22 October 2016 Accepted: 22 November 2016 Published: 30 November 2016

We are here demonstrating the functionality of infra-red low-coherence reflectometry for the spot optical readout of solution concentrations in commercially available microfluidic devices. Disposable polymeric microfluidic devices composed by 100-µm-deep channels were connected to an external fluidic path that allowed flow-through of water-glucose solutions at different concentrations. Measurements were performed with near-infrared low-power sources, namely a tungsten lamp and a Superluminescent Light Emitting Diode (SLED), allowing the read-out in a wavelength region of minimum invasiveness for biological fluids. The selected optical scheme based on an all-fiber Michelson configuration is well suited for non-contact, remote investigations of the fluids flowing in plastic microfluidic devices, with arbitrary layout and thickness. For the first time, using the SLED, we exploited the double round trip of light in the fluid channel for doubling the sensitivity with respect to the standard single pass set-up, previously demonstrated.
- optical low-coherence reflectometry,
- infrared radiation,
- microfluidics,
- concentration measurements,
- disposable devices,
- Michelson interferometer
Citation: Giulia Rigamonti, Marco Guardamagna, Sabina Merlo. Non-contact reflectometric readout of disposable microfluidic devices by near infra-red low-coherence interferometry[J]. AIMS Biophysics, 2016, 3(4): 585-595. doi: 10.3934/biophy.2016.4.585

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Abstract

We are here demonstrating the functionality of infra-red low-coherence reflectometry for the spot optical readout of solution concentrations in commercially available microfluidic devices. Disposable polymeric microfluidic devices composed by 100-µm-deep channels were connected to an external fluidic path that allowed flow-through of water-glucose solutions at different concentrations. Measurements were performed with near-infrared low-power sources, namely a tungsten lamp and a Superluminescent Light Emitting Diode (SLED), allowing the read-out in a wavelength region of minimum invasiveness for biological fluids. The selected optical scheme based on an all-fiber Michelson configuration is well suited for non-contact, remote investigations of the fluids flowing in plastic microfluidic devices, with arbitrary layout and thickness. For the first time, using the SLED, we exploited the double round trip of light in the fluid channel for doubling the sensitivity with respect to the standard single pass set-up, previously demonstrated.

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