Miniaturization of capillary electrophoresis systems using micromachining techniques

Capillary electrophoresis in its different modes of operation is demonstrated to be a separation technique suitable to be integrated into a planar microdevice. The use of micromachining techniques allows complex capillary geometries to be formed, providing good sensitivity and high separation efficiency when optical detection such as laser-induced fluorescence is coupled. Several research groups and companies have focused their research aims in the development and improvement of microstructures using different substrates and configurations. Although in the last 5 years an important number of publications have been reported in this area, several devices are still in a perfectioning phase. Great promises are offered for the rapid and efficient processing of various types of samples, with fundamental application in biological and clinical assays.