Fully integrated miniaturized planar liquid sample handling and analysis device

A .mu.-TAS device comprising:

• (a) a support body formed from a substrate comprised of a material other than silicon or silicon dioxide, said support body having first and second component halves each having substantially planar interior surfaces;
• (b) a first microchannel laser-ablated in the interior surface of the first support body half and a second microchannel laser-ablated in the interior surface of the second support body half, wherein said first and second microchannels are arranged so as to provide the mirror image of the other;
• (c) a sample processing compartment formed by aligning the interior surfaces of the support body halves in facing abutment with each other whereby the microchannels define said sample processing compartment and wherein said sample processing compartment comprises sample handling regions which define a sample flow component in fluid communication with a sample treatment component;
• and
• (d) at least one inlet port and at least one outlet port communicating with the sample processing compartment, said ports enabling the passage of fluid from an external source through the sample processing compartment.