Laser-based printing and patterning for biological applications

We present the use of pulsed lasers as patterning and printing tools for the end applications of micro-contact printing and paper-based fluidics. A fs-laser was used with a digital multi-mirror device (DMD) to structure a mould via ablation or photo-polymerisation. The patterns in this mould were then cast into polydimethlysiloxane (PDMS)-mould which was used for micro-contact printing. With the end-goal of producing a microfluidic diagnostic sensor on paper, a ns-laser was used for laser-induced forward transfer (LIFT) of proteins onto a paper substrate, whose viability was validated by a colorimetric detection assa