Optofluidic lithography system, method of manufacturing two-layered microfluidic channel, and method of manufacturing three-dimensional microstructures

An optofluidic lithography system comprising:

• a membrane;
• a pneumatic chamber, the pneumatic chamber configured to induce the displacement of the membrane depending on an internal atmospheric pressure thereof;
• and
• a microfluidic channel adjacent the membrane and outside the pneumatic chamber, the microfluidic channel having a height corresponding to a displacement of the membrane and having a fluid flowing therein, the fluid being cured by light irradiated from the bottom to form a microstructure.

A method of manufacturing a two-layered microfluidic channel, comprising:

• (a) placing a pneumatic-chamber mold on a wafer, and pouring polydimethylsiloxane onto the pneumatic-chamber mold;
• (b) removing the wafer and the pneumatic-chamber mold, and boring a hole through the polydimethylsiloxane such that a tube for injecting or discharging air into or from a pneumatic chamber can be inserted;
• (c) placing a microfluidic-channel mold on the wafer, and pouring polydimethylsiloxane onto the microfluidic-channel;
• (d) placing the intermediate product having gone through the process of (c) on the intermediate product having gone through the process of the (a) to the process of the (b), and attaching both of the polydimethylsiloxane to each other to form a pneumatic chamber;
• (e) removing the microfluidic-channel mold, boring a hole through the polydimethylsiloxane covering the microfluidic-channel mold such that a tube for injecting or discharging a fluid into or from a microfluidic channel can be inserted, and removing the wafer and attaching a light transmitting substrate to the bottom to form the microfluidic channel;
• and
• (f) injecting a fluid into the microfluidic channel.

A method of manufacturing three-dimensional microstructures, comprising:

• (a1) injecting a fluid into a microfluidic channel positioned in a lower portion of a two-layered microfluidic channel;
• (b1) changing an amount of air in a pneumatic chamber above the microfluidic channel to deform a membrane formed between the microfluidic channel and the pneumatic chamber such that the height of the microfluidic channel is adjusted;
• and
• (c1) irradiating light into the microfluidic channel to cure the fluid, thereby forming a layer on a substrate.

A method of manufacturing three-dimensional microstructures, comprising:

• (a2) injecting a fluid into a microfluidic channel positioned in a lower portion of a two-layered microfluidic channel;
• (b2) changing an amount of air in a pneumatic chamber positioned above the microfluidic channel to deform a membrane formed between the microfluidic channel and the pneumatic chamber such that the height of the microfluidic channel is adjusted;
• (c2) irradiating light into the microfluidic channel to cure the fluid such that a layer is formed on a substrate;
• (d2) flowing a cleaning solution into the microfluidic channel to wash out the remaining fluid;
• and
• (e2) decreasing an internal atmospheric pressure of the pneumatic chamber to increase the height of the microfluidic channel, and irradiating light into the microfluidic channel to form a new layer on the layer formed on the substrate, while flowing a different fluid into the microfluidic channel.