The simplicity and efficiency of point of care diagnostics have revolutionised patient care.

The development of new point of care coagulation assay devices is necessary due to the increasing number of patients requiring long-term anticoagulation in addition to the desire for appropriate, targeted anticoagulant therapy and a more rapid response to optimization of treatment. The majority of point of care devices currently available for hemostasis testing rely on clot-based endpoints which are variable, unreliable and limited to measuring only certain portions of the coagulation pathway. Here we present a novel fluorescence-based anti-Factor Xa (FXa) microfluidic assay device for monitoring the effect of anticoagulant therapy at the point of care. The device is a disposable, laminated polymer microfluidic strip fabricated from a combination of hydrophobic and hydrophilic cyclic polyolefins to allow reagent deposition in addition to effective capillary fill. Zeonor was the polymer of choice resulting in low background fluorescence (208.5 AU), suitable contact angles (17.5°± 0.9°) and capillary fill times (20.3 ± 2.1 s). The device was capable of measuring unfractionated heparin and tinzaparin from 0-0.8 U ml(-1) and enoxaparin from 0-0.6 U ml(-1) with average CVs < 10%. A linear correlation was observed between the device and the fluorescent assay in the plate for plasma samples spiked with UFH, with an R(2) value of 0.99, while correlations with tinzaparin and enoxaparin resulted in sigmoidal responses (R(2) = 0.99). Plasma samples containing UFH resulted in a linear correlation between the device and a standard chromogenic assay with an R(2) value of 0.98, with both LMWHs resulting in sigmoidal relationships (R(2) = 0.99).

The technology for thin Ge layer transfer by hydrogen ion-cut process is characterised in this work. Experiments were carried out to determine suitable hydrogen ion implantation doses in germanium for the low temperature ion cut process by examining the formation of blisters on implanted samples. Raman and Spreading Resistance Profiling (SRP) have been used to analyse defects in germanium caused by hydrogen implants. Bevelling has been used to facilitate probing beyond the laser penetration depth. Results of Raman mapping along the projection area reveal that after post implant annealing at 400 °C, some crystal damage remains, while at 600 °C, the crystal damage has been repaired. SRP shows that some amount of hydrogen acceptor states (~1Î1016 acceptors/cm2) remain after 600 °C. These are thought to be vacancy-related point defect clusters.

Raman and spreading resistance profiling have been used to analyze defects in germanium caused by hydrogen and helium implants, of typical fluences used in layer transfer applications. Beveling has been used to facilitate probing beyond the laser penetration depth. Results of Raman mapping along the projection area reveal that after post-implant annealing at 400 degrees C, some crystal damage remains, while at 600 degrees C, the crystal damage has been repaired. Helium implants create acceptor states beyond the projected range, and for both hydrogen and helium, 1 x 10(16) acceptors/cm(2) remain after 600 degrees C. These are thought to be vacancy-related point defect clusters. (c) 2010 The Electrochemical Society. [DOI: 10.1149/1.3512999] All rights reserved.

Silicon-on-sapphire (SOS) substrates have been proven to offer significant advantages in the integration of passive and active devices in RF circuits. Germanium on insulator technology is a candidate for future higher performance circuits. Thus the advantages of employing a low loss dielectric substrate other than a silicon-dioxide layer on silicon will be even greater. This paper covers the production of germanium on sapphire (GeOS) substrates by wafer bonding. The quality of the germanium back interface is studied and a tungsten self-aligned gate process MOST process has been developed. High low field mobilities of 450-500 cm2/V-s have been achieved for p-channel MOSTs produced on GeOS substrates. Thick germanium on alumina (GOAL) substrates have also been produced.

An atmospheric plasma activation system has been employed to study its application on low temperature wafer bonding. High bond strength (> 2000 mJ/m2) is achieved by oxygen plasma activation on hydrophilic Si-Si and Si-SiO2 bonding at low temperature annealing. This technique has been proved to cause physical damage to thin SiO2 layers (< 0.5 µm) creating a high density of pin holes resulting in leaky oxides. When high resistivity substrates are employed the pin holes is reduced by nearly a factor of 7. A germanium disc bonded to plasma treated thin oxide on silicon was electrically connected to the substrate. The atmospheric plasma technique is currently best suited for silicon-silicon bonding, standard SOI, MMIC and MEMS technology.

An atmospheric plasma activation system has been employed to study its application on low temperature wafer bonding. Oxygen activation on PECVD oxide for bonding of temperature sensitive materials shows no pin hole when activating oxide with thickness more than 0.25 microns. Activation on thermal oxide by helium plasma also shows a pin hole free oxide. Bond strength approximately 1000 mJ/m2 is achieved after 250 degree celcius post-bond anneal which is about twice the bond strength of non-activated samples. Multiple UV components from the helium plasma were detected by spectograph. These UV spectra might have contributed to the bond strength enhancement in Si-SiO2 bonding.

Hydrogen implantation of germanium is a promising technique for layer transfer. However, both the implantation process, and subsequent heat treatment can create defects in the transferred layer, which detrimentally effect the performance of devices fabricated on these transferred layers. In this study, implanted Germanium wafers were given various anneals and analysed optically and by spreading resistance, to gain insight on the nature of such defects. GeOI layers were produced by thermal splitting of implanted germanium wafers bonded to sapphire handle substrates.

Germanium has been bonded to both single crystal Al2O3 (sapphire) as well as fine grain Al2O3. A germanium to sapphire bonding energy of 3 J/m2 has been measured after a 200 oC bond anneal. Micro voids formed between the germanium/sapphire interface can be removed by employing an interfacial layer of silicon dioxide on either surface. Patterning the sapphire into a grid pattern prior to bonding creates an escape path for trapped gas or moisture allowing micro void free direct bonding to be achieved. Modifying the surface of the fine grain Al2O3 surface with a polycrystalline silicon deposition and polish creates a surface, having an rms roughness of 1.5nm(measured over a 250µm square area), suitable for bonding. Techniques employed in the germanium sapphire bonding can then be used in the bonding of fine grain Al2O3 to germanium.