Imaging and quantifying of microflow by phase-resolved optical Doppler tomography

Phase-resolved optical Doppler tomography (ODT), an imaging technique based on low coherence interferometry, is presented as a new tool to determine electroosmotic flow (EOF) in microfluidic channel. This is a non-contact technique that not only can image cross-sectional EOF profile but also can determine electroosmotic mobility. The electroosmotic coefficient measured by ODT was verified by conventional current monitor method. Since phase-resolved ODT provides cross-sectional imaging of flow velocity, complicated flow dynamics caused by microscale effects such as electrokinetic effects, can be investigated and quantified using this tool, particularly for turbid media such as biofluids, which cannot be readily investigated using other techniques. (C) 2003 Published by Elsevier B.V.