Rapid fabrication technique of nano/microfluidic device with high mechanical stability utilizing two-step soft lithography

We established a rapid fabrication technique utilizing two-step soft lithography to realize rigid nano/microfluidic devices which have high mechanical and thermal stability, good chemical resistance and replication accuracy. The proposed technique enables the production of rigid nano/micro structures including inlet and outlet ports by utilizing a mold master made from a soft material, conveniently and inexpensively. A device made from a thermosetting epoxy resin instead of a hard material showed a high replication accuracy, even with a high-aspect-ratio micro structure, and demonstrated sufficient mechanical stability at pressures exceeding 0.4 MPa. It is possible to realize the nano/microfluidic devices with high aspect ratios, high depth, and low surface roughness, such as nano-dot arrays, well structures, nano/micro channels, and other small and/or precise structures.