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Polymer microfabrication methods are becoming increasingly important as low-cost alternatives to the silicon or glass-based MEMS technologies. Polymer hot embossing and injection molding are replication methods applicable to microreplication of a diversity of materials and microstructures. Equipment with high precision control of pressure and temperature for hot embossing of polymer materials is now available commercially. These systems have made possible the replication of chips containing microchannels for capillary electrophoresis (CE) and microfluidics devices, microoptical components and microreactors. Stable and reproducible polymer microstructures have been demonstrated in several types of materials with structural and optical properties meeting other biocompatibility and detection requirements. The process involves few variable parameters and results in high structural accuracy suited for a wide range of microfabrication applications. After demonstrating equivalent and, in cases, improved performance, the alternative use of plastic as the microdevice material addresses needs for rapid prototyping in product development and provides cost advantages in product commercialization. Thus an increasing number of devices have been reported recently in the literature, fabricated on a variety of polymer substrates and using different fabrication methods such as laser ablation, injection molding, silicone rubber casting or embossing for microfabrication. |
