Nanoaquarium: Manipulation of bio-cells and worms in electrofluidics fabricated by hybrid femtosecond laser processing Available to Purchase

We present our recent progress on a new type of nanoaquarium based on electrofluidic devices fabricated by hybrid femtosecond (fs) laser processing. The hybrid fs laser processing involves two steps of (1) fs laser direct writing followed by thermal treatment, successive chemical wet etching and additional annealing for fabrication of three-dimensional (3D) microfluidic structures inside photosensitive glass, and then (2) water-assisted fs laser direct-write ablation followed by electroless metal plating for flexible deposition of patterned metal films on any desired locations in fabricated microfluidic structures. To show the applications of the nanoaquarium, fabricated electrofluidics are used to electrically manipulate the movement of microorganisms and worms in the microscale spaces. Flexible patterning and arrangement of electrodes to produce controllable AC electric fields in the closed microfluidic channels allows us to three-dimensionally manipulate the motions of Euglena cells due to electro-orientation. Meanwhile, 3D glass microfluidic channels monolithically integrated with vertical electrodes between which a DC voltage is applied enable us to flexibly control the movement of the nematode worm C. elegans in a closed channel based on electrotaxis.