title: Fluorescence monitoring of microchip capillary electrophoresis separation with monolithically integrated waveguides.
abstract: Using femtosecond laser writing, optical waveguides were monolithically integrated into a commercial microfluidic lab-on-a-chip device, with the waveguides intersecting a microfluidic channel. Continuous-wave laser excitation through these optical waveguides confines the excitation window to a width of 12 microm, enabling high-resolution monitoring of the passage of different types of fluorescent analytes when migrating and being separated in the microfluidic channel by microchip capillary electrophoresis. Furthermore, we demonstrate on-chip-integrated waveguide excitation and detection of a biologically relevant species, fluorescently labeled DNA molecules, during microchip capillary electrophoresis. Well-controlled plug formation as required for on-chip integrated capillary electrophoresis separation of DNA molecules, and the combination of waveguide excitation and a low limit of detection, will enable monitoring of extremely small quantities with high spatial resolution.
authors.affiliation: Integrated Optical MicroSystems, MESA Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Twente, AE Enschede, The Netherlands. C.Dongre@ewi.utwente.nl
authors.forename: Chaitanya
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dongre
authors.forename: Ronald
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dekker
authors.forename: Hugo J W M
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Hoekstra
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pollnau
authors.forename: Rebeca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Martinez-Vazquez
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Osellame
authors.forename: Giulio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cerullo
authors.forename: Roberta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ramponi
authors.forename: Rob
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: van Weeghel
authors.forename: Geert A J
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Besselink
authors.forename: Hans H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: van den Vlekkert
mesh_terms: D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation*; D002469:Cell Separation / Q000295:instrumentation*; D046209:Electrophoresis, Microchip / Q000295:instrumentation*; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence / Q000295:instrumentation*; D055096:Optical Devices; D018511:Systems Integration