The interest in large-scale integrated (LSI) microfluidic systems that perform highthroughput\nbiological and chemical laboratory investigations on a single chip is steadily growing.\nSuch highly integrated Labs-on-a-Chip (LoC) provide fast analysis, high functionality, outstanding\nreproducibility at low cost per sample, and small demand of reagents. One LoC platform technology\ncapable of LSI relies on specific intrinsically active polymers, the so-called stimuli-responsive\nhydrogels. Analogous to microelectronics, the active components of the chips can be realized by\nphotolithographic micro-patterning of functional layers. The miniaturization potential and the\nintegration degree of the microfluidic circuits depend on the capability of the photolithographic\nprocess to pattern hydrogel layers with high resolution, and they typically require expensive\ncleanroom equipment. Here, we propose, compare, and discuss a cost-efficient do-it-yourself (DIY)\nphotolithographic set-up suitable to micro-pattern hydrogel-layers with a resolution as needed for\nvery large-scale integrated (VLSI) microfluidics. The achievable structure dimensions are in the\nlower micrometer scale, down to a feature size of 20...............
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