Abstract: Liquid components are separated from a liquid using separation devices, such as filters and membranes, in which capillary forces, which retain the liquid component to be separated in the separation device, are effective. If the amount of liquid is very small, it can be very difficult to remove the liquid component to be separated in the separation device in a free and unchanged form. This process step is simplified or facilitated by a wedge-shaped cut-out at an exit end of the capillary or in a columnar body which is in contact with an exit end of the capillary. A radius of curvature of a wedge edge is smaller than a radius of the capillary. A base side of the wedge-shaped cut-out is adjacent to a collecting chamber in which the separated-off liquid component is collected, and in which the capillary forces are smaller than interfering forces in the capillary itself.

Abstract: Patterned dies made of non-conductive resins may be equipped with integrated electrodes in different manners. It is proved to be difficult to produce high-quality electrodes especially in microstructured dies. A patterned plastic die arranged on a carrier plate is filled with a solution of a metal compound. This solution is irradiated through the carrier plate from the back side of the carrier plate using laser light, ultraviolet light or X-rays. The metal compound is transformed in the immediate vicinity of the base of the structure and a metal layer is deposited on the base of the structure forming the electrodes. The method is suitable for a base of the structure forming a coherent or a non-coherent area. Plastic dies containing integrated electrodes are used for electroless or electrophoretic deposition of materials and for electroplating, in all cases starting from the integrated electrodes, and for analytical methods.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a microstructured body, comprises irradiating a material with a pattern of X-rays; and dissolving selectively irradiated or non-irradiated regions of the material, where the material comprises a light-hardening and/or UV-hardening epoxy coating. The epoxy coatings need shorter irrdiation times than known plastics. The resulting microstructures can have high aspect ratios, and the developed structures can be produced with greater structure depths, free of defects and faults. Structural precision is in the submicron range.

Abstract: Patterned dies made of non-conductive resins may be equipped with integrated electrodes in different manners. It is proved to be difficult to produce high-quality electrodes especially in microstructured dies. A patterned plastic die arranged on a carrier plate is filled with a solution of a metal compound. This solution is irradiated through the carrier plate from the back side of the carrier plate using laser light, ultraviolet light or X-rays. The metal compound is transformed in the immediate vicinity of the base of the structure and a metal layer is deposited on the base of the structure forming the electrodes. The method is suitable for a base of the structure forming a coherent or a non-coherent area. Plastic dies containing integrated electrodes are used for electroless or electrophoretic deposition of materials and for electroplating, in all cases starting from the integrated electrodes, and for analytical methods.

Abstract: Gases can be selectively detected by utilization of an infrared (IR) absorption photometer via their specific absorption in the IR range. Known instruments are generally rather expensive, are of considerable size, require careful treatment and as a rule can be operated by skilled personnel only. The microstructured IR absorption photometer of the present invention is developed for (quasi-) continuously controlling a gaseous stream, the photometer being a single-piece shaped part manufactured as a microstructured body. The photometer is compact and robust, suitable for portable instruments and can be manufactured at low cost and in large numbers. The photometer can be made of metal and can be used even at an increased temperature. A flashlight lamp serves as an IR radiation source and a lead selenide receiver as an IR radiation receiver. The pulse repetition frequency of the flashlight lamp is from 0.01 Hz to 10 Hz. The pulse interval preferably amounts to more than a thousand times the pulse duration.

Abstract: The present invention concerns stepped mould inserts, a method of producing the same and high-precision stepped microstructure bodies moulded therewith. The present stepped mould inserts and method of producing the same are more simple than previous methods. The lithographically produced regions of a patterned resist layer, which are exposed by development on a flat plate, are filled with metal. The layer may be mechanically removed, down to a predetermined thickness. After the residues of the resist have been dissolved out, if necessary or desired, this operation is repeated from one to several times. The regions removed from the resist layer are filled with metal, covered and separated from the resist layer, thus providing a multistep metallic mould insert. High-precision microstructure bodies having a multistep structure are produced with the present stepped mould insert.

Abstract: The present invention concerns stepped mould inserts, a method of producing the same and high-precision stepped microstructure bodies moulded therewith. The present stepped mould inserts and method of producing the same are more simple than previous methods. The lithographically produced regions of a patterned resist layer, which are exposed by development on a flat plate, are filled with metal. The layer may be mechanically removed, down to a predetermined thickness. After the residues of the resist have been dissolved out, if necessary or desired, this operation is repeated from one to several times. The regions removed from the resist layer are filled with metal, covered and separated from the resist layer, thus providing a multistep metallic mould insert. High-precision microstructure bodies having a multistep structure are produced with the present stepped mould insert.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing passive integrated optical devices from polymeric materials, the method comprising providing a step structure at each transition between a fiber alignment structure and the preform for the light waveguide structure, wherein both of these structures are produced simultaneously. Passive integrated optical devices having ridges or trenches with rectangular cross sections and manufactured to this method are also described.