Adhesiveless microfluidic device fabrication

An adhesiveless microfluidic device comprising a plurality of substantially planar device layers including:

• a first cover layer and a second cover layer, with at least one cover layer defining a fluidic port;
• and
• at least one stencil layer disposed between the first cover layer and the second cover layer, the at least one stencil defining a microfluidic channel through the entire thickness of the at least one stencil layer, the channel being bounded from above and below by additional device layers of the plurality of device layers to define an upper channel surface and a lower channel surface, and the channel being in fluid communication with the fluidic port;
• wherein the first cover layer, second cover layer, and the at least one stencil layer are fabricated with substantially metal-free, adhesiveless polymer materials, and the layers are interpenetrably bound together to form a substantially sealed adhesiveless microstructure with the upper surface remaining distinct from the lower surface.

A method for fabricating a plurality of microfluidic devices simultaneously, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a first substantially flat, thermally insulating platen and a second substantially flat, thermally insulating platen;
• providing a plurality of thin thermally conducting layers;
• providing a plurality of groups of substantially planar, substantially metal-free, adhesiveless polymer device layers, each group including at least one stencil layer defining a microfluidic channel penetrating through the entire thickness of the at least one stencil layer, the microfluidic channel being bounded laterally by the at least one stencil layer, and being bounded from above and below by additional device layers of the plurality of device layers within the same group to define an upper channel surface and a lower channel surface;
• stacking the plurality of groups of device layers, the plurality of thermally conducting layers, the first platen, and the second platen with the first platen and the second platen on the outside, and with each group of polymer layers disposed between two thermally conducting layers of the plurality of thermally conducting layers;
• and
• controllably heating the plurality of groups of device layers according to a heating profile adapted to bond each group of device layers into a substantially sealed microfluidic device wherein the upper channel surface remains distinct from the lower channel surface.