Making Coverslips by Steve Smith, Cheng-Zhong Zhang and Amy Xu

Inspect coverslip for flatness Interference fringes most visible in fluorescent light through a magnifying glass.

Interference fringes Each fringe reflects a ½ λ change in thickness. Few stripes are best- this coverslip is OK. Beware of coverslips with so many fringes they appear invisible.

Place coverslips on jig

Place jig in laser engraver Index position to upper left corner

Focus Laser Beam Position laser lens proper distance from coverslips by raising and lowering the table.

Close lid and engrave! Set printer for 5 copies for deeper engraving

Poke out holes Use sharp probe and metal backup plate

Making a Gasket by Steve Smith, Cheng-Zhong Zhang and Amy Xu

Nescofilm with empty roller

Thread Nescofilm through rollers Suspend Nescofilm flat and taut, far away from any surface (including paper backing)!

Place roller in Laser Engraver

Focus Laser Beam

Close lid and engrave! Smoke is sucked up the vent if your fan is working properly

Remove stray Nescofilm

Advance Nescofilm roller

Pulling a Pipette by Steve Smith, Cheng-Zhong Zhang and Amy Xu

Clamp Glass Tubing Carefully clamp pipette at top and bottom, threading through the filament. Don’t touch glass tubing in the center. Fingerprints = bad.

Centering the tube

Shield from air currents and PULL! Cover pipette puller with a plastic beaker and turn on power supply to heat the filament. Weight should drop in ~10 seconds. Faster heating = smaller tips.

Remove pipette

Inspect pipette tip

Pipette tip

Assembling a Microchamber by Steve Smith, Cheng-Zhong Zhang and Amy Xu

Trim the gaskets

Lay gasket on coverslip with no holes

Lay gasket on coverslip with 6 holes Align holes

Flatten gaskets

Place pipette in middle

Pipette tip placement

Cut dispenser tubes Cut ~2.5 mm pieces from long tube. Secure on double sided tape.

Place dispenser tubes

Dispenser tube placement

Make a sandwich

Press ends together Gently

Place glass slide on top of sandwich

Press on glass slide to flatten sandwich With considerable force

Pick up sandwich and slide together

Place on heated plate

Place heated weight on glass slide

Place microchamber on frame

Tighten microchamber on frame Press down in the middle of the clamp while gently tightening the screws.

Check alignment of chamber and frame holes Adjust clamps as necessary

Thread PE10 tubing onto pipette Tighten bottom clamp with pipette slot facing down.

Dispense small amount of epoxy Norland UV cure optical adhesive

Touch epoxy to end of tubing

Epoxy enters tube by capillary action Be careful epoxy does not run too far and clog back end of pipette!

UV crosslink epoxy 2-5 minutes in crosslinking chamber oven

Screw in nylon tube fittings Rinse out fittings first

Completed microchamber Congratulations!