Manufacturing of microchannels in soda-lime glass by femtosecond laser and chemical etching

Abstract

We report the fabrication of rectangular shaped microchannels inscribed in ordinary microscope slides by using Femtosecond Laser Irradiation followed by Chemical Etching (FLICE) technique that allow to construct true 3-D structures. The femtosecond laser pulses in conjunction with a nano positioner are initialy used to make a matrix of interconnected waveguides. This matrix is dipped in a 10% fluoridric acid (HF) to modify the matrix to a microchannel. The process of line-by-line recording using FLICE technique is used because it permits better control over the microchannels characteristics aimed to specific aplications.