This work presents the conception, characterization and use of a microfluidic microsystem dedicated to liquid metrology at THz frequencies. First part focuses on developing a versatile and sensitive microsystem, co-integrating microfluidic and THz integrated functions. A glass/polymer/silicon technological process (clean-room process) has been developed and leads to a robust microfluidic network, where 35bar pressures can be reached without leakage. Since wafer bonding is performed before microchannel etching, a strong versatility is obtained for the microsystem conception. Indeed, microfluidic and electromagnetic circuits can be modified independently without changing technological process parameters. Measurements with the microsystem have shown that a 5mg/mL sensitivity is obtained for protein solutions, which is about the state of the art of conventional THz spectroscopy and which increases performances of THz integrated systems. This sensitivity enables to quantify hydration around soluted proteins by computing their hydration number. Moreover, ethanol/water mixtures measurements with the microsystem coupled with chemometrics analysis leads to a better understanding of hydration phenomenon. Dynamics and structure of hydration shells have been characterized in good agreement with Molecular Dynamics models. Thus, the developed microsystem permits a quantitative analysis of liquids in the THz spectrum, dedicated to dynamics interaction understanding in biological processes.
