Fabrication of Photonic Crystal Optofluidic Devices for Electrochromatography and Spectroscopy on a Chip

Femtosecond laser processes were optimized for nonlinear interactions with optical materials to develop a novel biophotonic lab-on-a-chip device that integrates laser-formed waveguides, microfluidic channels and photonic crystals (PCs). Such integration seeks the novel demonstration of dual PC functionalities: (1) efficient chromatographic separation and filtration of analytes through a porous PC embedded inside a microfluidic channel and (2) optofluidic spectroscopy through embedded waveguides that probe PC stop band shifts as varying analyte concentrations flow and separate.;The building blocks for such integration were demonstrated through the accelerated analyte flow rates measured through the embedded porous PC and the optical characterization of a PC's stop band via integrated waveguides. Together, these laboratory results give promise for achieving simultaneous chromatographic and spectroscopic capabilities in a single PC optofluidic device. Future improvements in the laser process and possible new research directions are also offered.