Expertise

Expertise and main equipments

Our R&D expertise includes:

• Small-scale fluid dynamics, surface tension and fluid-structure interaction, including elastocapillarity
• Microfluidics and lab-on-chips (LOC), especially droplet microfluidics, capillary microfluidics and centrifugal microfluidics
• Experimental quantification and mathematical modeling of dynamical systems

Through our research projects we have developed additional expertise in:

1. Imaging (high-speed, light microscopy) and image processing

• High-speed cameras (several thousands of frames per second at full resolution, color or B&W)
• Fully equipped for autonomous outdoor filming
• Brightfield and fluorescence microscopy
• Automated measurements on images – image processing techniques

2. Soft microfabrication

• Molding techniques (incl. PDMS – 1µm resolution)
• Thin film deposition (evaporation and spin coating – up to 8000rpm, 4″ wafers max)
• UV exposure (power 100W, chamber (180mm)³ )
• Corona treatment

Access to clean room environment and lithography (Microsys):

• 200m² certified class 10.000 (ISO7), fully ESD-equipped; small yellow room
• Photoplotter (Bungard Filmstar): to print opaque masks on transparent films. Resolution ~30 µm
• Spin coater (Laurell WS-650-Mz-23NPP): Up to 12000 rpm. Substrate size up to 6″ (round) or 5″x5″ (square). Dispensing unit.
• UV lamp 100W, filters (incl. 320-500nm and 365nm)
• Plasma cleaner (Air, Nitrogen, Argon)

3. Microfluidics

• Microfluidic chip design and interfacing
• Programmable syringe pumps NE-1002X (from 8pL/hr to 40µL/s) and pressure controllers Fluigent (1mbar to 2 bar)
• On-chip pneumatic valving
• Programmable centrifugal platform
• FADS (fluorescence-assisted droplet sorting)

4. Splash column, for the investigation of droplet impacts

• Release point between 50cm and 5m above the ground (impact velocity up to 7 m/s)
• Dispensing unit (syringe pump) and visual control of the release
• Free fall protected from parasitic air currents

5. Electromagnetic shaker

• SignalForce GW-V400LT (up to 4.6kN sinusoidal, armature diameter 33.3cm)
• Accelerometers, DAQ and Labview control