title: Microvalve thickness and topography measurements in microfluidic devices by white-light confocal microscopy.
abstract: A microvalve is a key part in a multilayer microfluidic device to control the fluid flow, and its thickness directly determines its performance. In this paper, a three-dimensional measurement technology using a white-light confocal microscope is developed for measuring both the topography and thickness of microvalves. The impact of system parameters and sample parameters on measurement accuracy is discussed in detail, particularly for measurement with a dry objective. With this technique, the microvalve thicknesses before and after bonding were characterized with submicrometer measurement sensitivity and about 1 microm measurement accuracy.
authors.affiliation: Singapore-Masschusetts Institute of Technology Alliance, N3.2-01-36, 65 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 637460. sgli@ntu.edu.sg
authors.forename: Shiguang
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Todd
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Thorsen
authors.forename: Zhiguang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Zhong Ping
authors.initials: ZP
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.forename: Jianhong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Soon Fatt
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Yoon
mesh_terms: D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D008027:Light; D044085:Microfluidics / Q000295:instrumentation*; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal / Q000379:methods*