This letter reports a tunable planar optofluidic switch as illustrated by three laminar flow streams introduced into a focusing chamber. Different width of liquid core can be tuned via the imposed flow rate of these three laminar flow streams. The hydrodynamic tunability of the core-cladding interfaces is the key to realize microscale optical switching via total internal reflection. The optical switching capability is demonstrated having good agreement with optical simulations. The optofluidic optical switch can achieve a switching speed of 1.56 Hz and beyond with the potential for a seamless integration with other lab-on-a-chip devices for optical sensing applications.
This paper presents a planar optofluidic lens for light manipulation utilizing a combination of optofluidic biconvex lens with micromixer. Three light manipulation techniques including tunable optical diverging, collimating and focusing are realized by altering the refractive index of the optofluidic variable-focus lenses formed by solid polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) walls and tunable liquid lens body. The optical power from the laser input can be increased or decreased with the tuning of the variable-focus lenses' refractive indexes. The optical power adjustment capabilities are demonstrated and characterized. The combinations of benefits of all lens' optical manipulation capabilities, greater mechanical stability, significant increase of optofluidic device's life time and seamless integration with other lab-on-a-chip functionalities provide a promising and versatile optofluidic compartment to integrate with lab-on-a-chip excitation and sensing applications. Optofluidic lens-including system for tunable fluorescence sensing is demonstrated showing 186% increase in detected fluorescence intensity.
The strength-ductility tradeoff has been a common long-standing dilemma in materials science. For example, superplasticity with a tradeoff in strength has been reported for Cu50Zr50 nanoglass (NG) with grain sizes below 5 nm. Here we report an improvement in strength without sacrificing superplasticity in Cu50Zr50 NG by using a bimodal grain size distribution. Our results reveal that large grains impart high strength, which is in striking contrast to the physical origin of the improvement in strength reported in the traditional nanostructured metals/alloys. Furthermore, the mechanical properties of NG with a bimodal nanostructure depend critically upon the fraction of large grains. By increasing the fraction of the large grains, a transition from superplastic flow to failure by shear banding is clearly observed. We expect that these results will be useful in the development of a novel strong and superplastic NG.
This article reports a micro-light distribution system realized by altering the reflective indices of two optofluidic cascading prisms. Different micron scale light distribution configurations can be tuned via the imposed flow rates of the microfluidic mixers. The variable optical interface's reflectivity of the cascading prisms is based on the tuning of refractive indices of micromixed fluids within the cascading prisms. The microscale light distribution is achieved via total internal reflection and partial refraction occurs at the fluid-solid optical interfaces. 1 9 3 light switching denotes one optical inlet while the light can be guided via any one of the three optical outlets. The 1 9 3 light switching capability is demonstrated. The light splitting capability to achieve different proportion of light power distribution is also demonstrated and characterized. The optofluidic cascading prisms are integrated with micromixer, prolonging the working life of the optical compartment considerably as the fluids are only consumed when optical tuning is required. The proposed technique eliminates the disadvantage of optofluidic compartments based on liquid-liquid interfaces as liquid-liquid interface possess weaker mechanical stability than solid-liquid interface. The proposed design also does not require continuous supply of fluids as in optofluidic compartments based on liquid-liquid interfaces. The optofluidic cascading prisms can be cascaded further to form a complex planar light distribution system for seamless light distribution in lab-on-a-chip excitation and sensing applications.
A novel bi-layer silicone nanoimprint mold capable of dual-functionality as both a lithographic template and a release agent transfer vehicle.
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