Patent ID: 7925125

Claim:
A method of making a microfluidic device comprising the steps of: (a) coating a first surface of a first and a second fused silica wafer with a first layer of silicon; (b) transferring a first microconduit pattern into the first silicon layer on each wafer; (c) transferring the first microconduit pattern from the first silicon layer to the first surface of each wafer so that the first surface of each silica wafer has the first pattern; (d) removing the first layer of silicon from each wafer; (e) securing together the first surfaces of each wafer so that the patterns on the first surface form a flow path; (f) dicing the bonded first and second wafers into one or more microfluidic devices; (g) inserting a portion of a first optical fiber into the flow path; (h) adhering the first optical fiber to one of the devices, wherein a first annular region exists between an inner surface of the flow path and the portion of the first optical fiber; (i) inserting a portion of a second optical fiber into the flow path; and (j) adhering the second optical fiber to the device, wherein a second annular region exists between the inner surface of the flow path and the portion of the second optical fiber, wherein light exiting one optical fiber can travel through a portion of the flow path before entering the other optical fiber.