Replication micromachining

Polymers fabrication processes are based on two major techniques replication micromachining and direct micromachining (Duffy et al., 1998 Becker, 2002). 

Not only do the macromolecular components which are the direct products of the genes participate in the formation of complex pathways and networks, they can also assemble to form macromolecular complexes and micromachines . Some of these micromachines are now well known, such as ATPase, some parts of which turn like a rotor in the mitochondrial membrane to generate the energy of the cell, or the micromachines responsible for transcription or DNA replication. Some others are less known, but play critical roles, such as the complex that forms in the cell membrane and can induce the cell to commit suicide . 

In the replication method, a master mold, which could be of any material, is made using either the photolithographic process or traditional micromachining processes, strong enough to resist the operating conditions of the fabrication process, and then it is used to replicate the pattern onto another softer material by direct physical contact. The choice between the two fabrication methods depends on various factors such as the size, the cost, the desired substrate, the chemical properties of the flows, the speed, the smoothness, and the required section geometry. 

Tooling - This mold insert contains the fine features of the microfluidic device to be replicated. This tooling can be created using micromachining, microlithography, or electroforming. 

M. Torge, Laser micromachining of mold inserts for replication techniques - state of the art and application, Proc. SPIE 2001, 4274, 331-345. 

Defined as a sort of modified chip fabricated by silicon MEMS-based technologies (such as batch-compatible bulk or surface micromachining or by micromolding and/or replication method) having features in the micrometer range... 

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