Lateral/vertical transistor structures and process of making and using same
First Claim
1. A method of moving a micro-object in a fluidic medium within a microfluidic device, the microfluidic device comprising an enclosure having a microfluidic structure and a base, wherein the base comprises a common electrical conductor and the microfluidic structure comprises a cover with a biasing electrode, wherein the microfluidic structure and an outer surface of the base together define a flow path disposed between the biasing electrode of the cover and the common electrical conductor of the base within the enclosure, wherein the base comprises an array of transistor structures, each said transistor structure in the array comprising a lateral bipolar transistor connecting a corresponding region of the outer surface of the base to the common conductor and a vertical bipolar transistor connecting the corresponding region of the outer surface of the base to the common conductor, and wherein the corresponding regions of the outer surface of the base are disposed to contact directly fluidic medium in the flow path,the method comprising:
- providing biasing power to the biasing electrode and the common electrical conductor of the base; and
activating a first of the transistor structures at a first of the corresponding regions of the outer surface of the base,wherein said activating induces a first current flow in at least a lateral bipolar transistor of the first transistor structure and creates an eletrokinetic force in the vicinity of the activated first transistor structure sufficient to move a nearby micro-object in the flow path.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A microfluidic device can include a base an outer surface of which forms one or more enclosures for containing a fluidic medium. The base can include an array of individually controllable transistor structures each of which can comprise both a lateral transistor and a vertical transistor. The transistor structures can be light activated, and the lateral and vertical transistors can thus be photo transistors. Each transistor structure can be activated to create a temporary electrical connection from a region of the outer surface of the base (and thus fluidic medium in the enclosure) to a common electrical conductor. The temporary electrical connection can induce a localized electrokinetic force generally at the region, which can be sufficiently strong to move a nearby micro-object in the enclosure.
-
Citations
40 Claims
-
1. A method of moving a micro-object in a fluidic medium within a microfluidic device, the microfluidic device comprising an enclosure having a microfluidic structure and a base, wherein the base comprises a common electrical conductor and the microfluidic structure comprises a cover with a biasing electrode, wherein the microfluidic structure and an outer surface of the base together define a flow path disposed between the biasing electrode of the cover and the common electrical conductor of the base within the enclosure, wherein the base comprises an array of transistor structures, each said transistor structure in the array comprising a lateral bipolar transistor connecting a corresponding region of the outer surface of the base to the common conductor and a vertical bipolar transistor connecting the corresponding region of the outer surface of the base to the common conductor, and wherein the corresponding regions of the outer surface of the base are disposed to contact directly fluidic medium in the flow path,
the method comprising: -
providing biasing power to the biasing electrode and the common electrical conductor of the base; and activating a first of the transistor structures at a first of the corresponding regions of the outer surface of the base, wherein said activating induces a first current flow in at least a lateral bipolar transistor of the first transistor structure and creates an eletrokinetic force in the vicinity of the activated first transistor structure sufficient to move a nearby micro-object in the flow path. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
-
Specification