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Developing optofluidic technology through the fusion of microfluidics and optics

Nature volume 442, pages 381–386 (2006)Cite this article

Abstract

We describe devices in which optics and fluidics are used synergistically to synthesize novel functionalities. Fluidic replacement or modification leads to reconfigurable optical systems, whereas the implementation of optics through the microfluidic toolkit gives highly compact and integrated devices. We categorize optofluidics according to three broad categories of interactions: fluid–solid interfaces, purely fluidic interfaces and colloidal suspensions. We describe examples of optofluidic devices in each category.

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Figure 1: A generalized layer construction of an optofluidic device.
Figure 2: The optofluidic microscope.
Figure 3: Optical filter based on an optofluidic micro-ring resonator.
Figure 4: An optofluidic distributed feedback (DFB) dye laser.
Figure 5: The liquid-core/liquid-cladding (L2) waveguide.
Figure 6: The all-optical switch based on optofluidic beam manipulation.
Figure 7: An optofluidic memory system based on nanowells and quantum dots.

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Acknowledgements

This work is funded by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Center for Optofluidic Integration, USA. We thank J. Adleman, X. Heng, Y. Fainman and D. Erickson for numerous discussions and their assistance.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Electrical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, 91125, California, USA

    Demetri Psaltis & Changhuei Yang

  2. Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford, 94305, California, USA

    Stephen R. Quake

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  1. Demetri Psaltis
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Correspondence to Demetri Psaltis.

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Stephen R. Quake is a founder and equity holder in companies that operate in the areas of optics and microfluidics.

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Psaltis, D., Quake, S. & Yang, C. Developing optofluidic technology through the fusion of microfluidics and optics. Nature 442, 381–386 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1038/nature05060

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