Micro-particle filter made in SU-8 for biomedical applications

Abstract

We have integrated a micro-particle filter in a polymer cantilever to filter micro-particles from a fluid while simultaneously measuring the amount of filtered particles. In a 3,8 µm thick SU-8 cantilever a filter was integrated with pore sizes between 3 and 30 µm. The chip was inserted in a microfluidic system and water with differently sized polystyrene beads was pumped through the filter. Particles which are larger than the pore sizes, cannot pass the filter and will increase the flow resistance of the cantilever. With more and more captured particles the cantilever starts to deflect, which can be detected by an optical read-out system.

A buried vertical filter for micro and nanoparticle filtration

“…For example, porous membranes for high throughput filtration have been micromachined by patterning and etching pores onto a substrate [1]. Filters can also be adapted in polymer cantilevers to enable on-chip collection and off-chip sensing of micro-particles [2]. Size-based sorting of particles can be achieved by driving a micro-filter with timesequential flows [3].…”