Microfabrication for biophysics

We have developed strong expertise in microfabrication and microfluidics to address fundamental wetting studies and biophysical projects that require controlled fluidic environments in microscopic and/or biomimetic devices. From a microfabrication point of view, we master :
  • Classical soft lithography techniques with PDMS
  • UV curable polymer molding (NOA channels, NOA patterning on flat and curved substrate)
  • PHEMA hydrogel microdevices (ferns and artificial leaves)
  •  multilayer PDMS channels including polymeric or glass membranes with micrometric holes.

From the point of view of surface functionalization, we perform:
  • Perfluosilane silanization of silica surfaces
  • Plasma bonding of PDMS
  • Silanization of PHEMA hydrogel
  • Bonding of PDMS-Plastic with APTES silanization.
Microfabrication techniques using soft lithography have been used in the team since its formation in 2013, and even before with the setup of a clean room in LPMC in 2009 by X. Noblin and F. Celestini. The facility is now a common platform of INPHYNI, with the help of the engineers Cyrille Claudet and Yaroslava Izmaylov. The room in Valrose Building (up to end of 2022) : Classe 10000 / 12 m2 with sluice, air processing treatment unit, chemical Hood. Equipment : UV Lamp, Spin coater, Plasma cleaner, hot plates, rolling mill. Fabrication of microchannels in PDMS, Hydrogels, NOA. Array of pillars, wells, cavities. These technical facilities allow to develop the different projects of the team, mainly focused toward microfluidics for biophysics, biomimetics and wetting studies.
 
microfab1
microfab1
microfab2
microfab2

It allow also to support activities in collaborations with other teams @INPHYNI (Concentrated suspensions rheology and Magnetorheology and nanomaterials).

microfab3
microfab3

A new partnership has emerged with the start-up KLEARIA (https://www.klearia.com/ ) in order to explore new fabrication techniques involving glass to develop new kind of microfluidics sensors.