Fluidic microchemomechanical integrated circuits processing chemical information

Lab Chip. 2012 Dec 7;12(23):5034-44. doi: 10.1039/c2lc40617a.

Abstract

Lab-on-a-chip (LOC) technology has blossomed into a major new technology fundamentally influencing the sciences of life and nature. From a systemic point of view however, microfluidics is still in its infancy. Here, we present the concept of a microfluidic central processing unit (CPU) which shows remarkable similarities to early electronic Von Neumann microprocessors. It combines both control and execution units and, moreover, the complete power supply on a single chip and introduces the decision-making ability regarding chemical information into fluidic integrated circuits (ICs). As a consequence of this system concept, the ICs process chemical information completely in a self-controlled manner and energetically self-sustaining. The ICs are fabricated by layer-by-layer deposition of several overlapping layers based on different intrinsically active polymers. As examples we present two microchips carrying out long-term monitoring of critical parameters by around-the-clock sampling.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Computers*
  • Kinetics
  • Mechanical Phenomena*
  • Microfluidic Analytical Techniques / instrumentation*
  • Polymers / chemistry*

Substances

  • Polymers