Fabrication of polymeric micropatterns by maskless projection method

We have developed an all-in-one device for photopolymerization-based microfabrication of microfluidic devices by modifying a commercially available liquid crystal display projector (LCDP). Microchannel networks were fabricated from the images prepared with software run on personal computers. Representative microfluidic behavior (e.g. laminar flow patterning) indicates that the quality of microchannels fabricated in poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) seem sufficient for microfluidic research applications. The maskless fabrication is considered to be a versatile approach for rapid prototyping of microfluidic systems without specific skills for microfabrication, expensive apparatus, and cleanroom facilities.