Abstract

MEMS & Microfluidic Commercialization by IMT Microtechnologies

Alexios Tzannis, Business Development Manager, IMT Masken und Teilungen AG

Microfluidics, or lab-on-a-chip technology, is a powerful tool positioned in the intersection of biotechnology, automation, and functional integration. Microfluidic devices can shuttle picoliter, and smaller, volumes of fluids into functional regions, enabling powerful in vitro diagnostics (IVD) harnessing everything from digital biology, to next generation sequencing, organs-on-a-chip, high-throughput cell-based assays, or high-density multifunctional chips for drug discovery and bioanalysis, while shrinking sample and reagent volumes. The overall complexity can be addressed by transferring MEMS production schemes and equipment into the field of microfluidics. Thanks to advances in laser machining, photolithography, etching automation, wafer bonding, functionalization, room temperature UV-adhesive bonding and other process improvements, glass and glass-hybrid materials are often both the best-performing and most cost-effective consumable material for Life Science and Diagnostics devices. Here IMT offers leading edge technologies with automated and standardized processes. In this paper we discuss the challenges and solutions of implementing WLP processes for products.