The integration of optical components in microfluidic devices is an emerging issue for downscaling analytical processes
to lab-on-a-chip systems. Our approach is to build a one compound polymer system, which combines optical waveguides
with microfluidic channels in one monolithic device. In addition the entire chip shall be optimized to use optical
interfaces only. The processing of channels and waveguides is based on photodegradation of PMMA through deep
ultraviolet (DUV) radiation in both cases. In a first step, microfluidic trenches with a depth of 5 μm are structured by
DUV lithography with a subsequent developing process dissolving the exposed material. Waveguides, geometrically
crossing the channel, get implemented by a second DUV lithography step. In a last step, the transparent optofluidic
devices are covered to form channels and sealed with a second PMMA substrate by thermal bonding. The process was
optimized to achieve leakage free channels without any disturbance of the waveguide behaviour. The paper discusses the
manufacturing process and shows experimental results that serve as preparation for ongoing simulations for sensing
applications. In first experiments the optical attenuation of the waveguides decreased by 1.2 dB at a wavelength of
λ = 638 nm, when the empty channels were filled with deionised water which corresponds to a change in the refractive
index of 0.33.
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