Microfluidic systems

• US 20030003026A1
• Filed: 07/10/2002
• Published: 01/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/1996
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Caliper Life Sciences Incorporated (Revvity, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Caliper Holdings Incorporated
• Inventors: Parce, John Wallace, Kopf-Sill, Anne R., Bousse, Luc J.
• Application Number:
  US10/193,350
• Publication Number:
  US 20030003026A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 422/100
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/10 Integrating sample preparation and analysis in single entity, e.g. lab-on-a-chip concept
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0645 Electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0809 rectangular shaped
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0816 Cards, e.g. flat sample carriers usually with flow in two horizontal directions
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0864 comprising only one inlet and multiple receiving wells, e.g. for separation, splitting
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0418 electro-osmotic flow [EOF]
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0421 electrophoretic flow
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0688 surface tension valves, capillary stop, capillary break
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/5025 for parallel transport of multiple samples
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/50273 characterised by the means or forces applied to move the fluids micropumps F04B19/006, of the membrane type F04B43/043
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502753 characterised by bulk separation arrangements on lab-on-a-chip devices, e.g. for filtration or centrifugation separation in general B01D; microapparatus for analysis using electrophoresis G01N27/44791; sample preparation G01N1/28
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/44791 Microapparatus sample containers with integrated microfluidic structures B01L3/5027
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/2575 Volumetric liquid transfer

Abstract

The present invention generally provides microfluidic devices and systems that utilize electrokinetic material transport systems to selectively control and direct the transport of materials through and among complex arrangements of integrated, interconnected microscale channels disposed within integrated body structures.

Claims

1. A microfluidic device, comprising:

a body structure; and

a plurality of integrated microscale channels disposed in the body structure, the plurality of integrated microscale channels comprising;

at least a first transverse channel, the first transverse channel being in electrical communication with at least a first electrode;

at least first and second side channels disposed on a first side of the transverse channel, each of the first and second side channels having first and second ends, the first ends intersecting the transverse channel, and the second ends being in electrical communication with at least a second electrode; and

wherein an electrical current path between the at least first electrode and the second electrode through the first side channel provides substantially equal resistance to a resistance between the first electrode and the second electrode through the second side channel.

2. The microfluidic device of claim 1, further comprising:

at least third and fourth side channels disposed on a second side of the transverse channel, each of the third and fourth side channels having first and second ends; and

wherein the first transverse channel is in electrical communication with the first electrode via the third and fourth side channels, the first end of the third and fourth side channels intersecting the first transverse channel, and the second ends of the third and fourth side channels being in electrical communication with the at least first electrode.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least first and second side channels are in electrical communication with the first electrode via a first channel header, the electrical resistance between the first electrode and the transverse channel through the first channel header and the first side channel being substantially equal to the electrical resistance between the first electrode and the transverse channel through the first channel header and the second side channel.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the first channel header has a width that tapers as the channel header extends away from the first electrode.

5. The device of claim 3, wherein the first channel header has a width sufficient to provide substantially no resistance along its length.

6. The device of claim 3, further comprising a third electrode, the first and third electrodes being in electrical communication with different ends of the first channel header.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the first channel header comprises a parabolic geometry, the first and second side channels intersecting the first channel header at points along the first channel header whereby a current path between the first electrode and the transverse channel through the first channel header and the first side channel comprises substantially equal resistance to a current path between the third electrode and the transverse channel through the first channel header and the second side channel.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the current path between the first electrode and the transverse channel through the first channel header and the first side channel comprises substantially the same channel length as the current path between the third electrode and the transverse channel through the first channel header and the second side channel.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least third and fourth side channels are in electrical communication with the second electrode via a second channel header, the electrical resistance between the second electrode and the transverse channel through the second channel header and the third side channel being substantially equal to the electrical resistance between the second electrode and the transverse channel through the second channel header and the fourth side channel.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the second channel header has a width that tapers as the channel header extends away from the second electrode.

11. The device of claim 9, wherein the second channel header has a width sufficient to provide substantially no resistance along its length.

12. The device of claim 9, further comprising a fourth electrode, the second and fourth electrodes being in electrical communication with different ends of the second channel header.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the second channel header comprises a parabolic geometry, the third and fourth side channels intersecting the second channel header at points along the second channel header whereby a channel length between the second electrode and the transverse channel through the second channel header and the third side channel is substantially equal to a channel length between the fourth electrode and the transverse channel through the second channel header and the fourth side channel.

14. The device of claim 1, further comprising fifth and sixth electrodes, the fifth and sixth electrodes being in electrical communication with different ends of the first transverse channel.

15. The device of claim 1, wherein the first and second side channels comprise shallow regions at their first ends, the shallow regions having depths that are less than 50% of the depth of the transverse channel.

16. The device of claim 1, wherein the first and second side channels comprise shallow regions at their first ends, the shallow regions having depths that are less than 20% of the depth of the transverse channel.

17. The device of claim 1, wherein the first and second side channels comprise shallow regions at their first ends, the shallow regions having depths that are less than 10% of the depth of the transverse channel.

19. The microfluidic device of claim 18, wherein n is at least 4.

20. The microfluidic device of claim 18, wherein n is at least 5.

21. The microfluidic device of claim 18, wherein n is at least 10.

22. The microfluidic device of claim 18, wherein n is at least 20.

23. The microfluidic device of claim 18, wherein x is at least 4.

24. The microfluidic device of claim 19, wherein x is at least 4.

25. The microfluidic device of claim 18, wherein x is at least 5.

26. The microfluidic device of claim 18, wherein x is at least 10.

27. The microfluidic device of claim 18, wherein x is at least 20.

28. The microfluidic device of claim 18, wherein the electrical power supply simultaneously supplies a separate electrical potential to at least three of the unintersected termini of the plurality of microscale channels.

29. The microfluidic device of claim 18, wherein each of the unintersected channel termini is in fluid communication with a port disposed in the body structure, each port having an electrode associated therewith, each electrode being separately and operably coupled to the electrical power supply.

30. The microfluidic device of claim 18, wherein the plurality of intersecting microscale channels comprises:

a first transverse channel having first and second unintersected termini;

a second transverse channel having first and second unintersected termini;

at least first and second connecting channels, each of the first and second connecting channels having first and second ends, the first end of the first and second connecting channels terminating in and being in fluid communication with the first transverse channel at first and second intersections, and the second end of the first and second connecting channels terminating in and being in fluid communication with the second transverse channel at third and fourth intersections.

31. The microfluidic device of claim 18, wherein the body structure comprises:

a first substrate having a substantially planar upper surface;

at least a second substrate having a substantially planar lower surface; and

wherein the plurality of intersecting microscale channels are fabricated as plurality of interconnected grooves into at least one of the upper surface of the first substrate or the lower surface of the second substrate, such that when the upper surface of the first substrate and the lower surface of the second substrate are mated, the plurality of interconnected grooves forms the plurality of intersecting microscale channels.

18. A microfluidic device for controllably transporting material among a plurality of intersecting microscale channels, the device comprising:

a body structure;

a channel network disposed in the body structure, the channel network comprising a plurality of intersecting microscale channels, the plurality of intersecting microscale channels comprising n channel intersections, and x unintersected channel termini, wherein n is greater than or equal to x, provided that x is at least 2 and n is at least 3;

an electrical power supply electrically coupled to each of the unintersected channel termini, the power supply supplying a separate electrical potential simultaneously to at least three of the unintersected termini of the plurality of microscale channels, the electrical potential supplied at the unintersected channel termini controlling material transport at the n intersections.

32. A microfluidic device, comprising:

a substrate having an interconnected microscale channel network disposed therein, the channel network comprising;

a first transverse channel;

at least first and second side channels each having first and second ends, the first and second side channels intersecting the first transverse channel at the first ends of the first and second side channels;

at least a third side channel having a first and a second end, the third channel intersecting the first transverse channel at the first end of the third side channel;

a first voltage source in electrical communication with the second ends of the first and second side channels;

a second voltage source in electrical communication with the second end of the third side channel;

wherein an electrical current path between the first voltage source and the second voltage source via the third channel has substantially the same electrical resistance via the first side channel as via the second side channel.

33. A microfluidic system, comprising:

a microfluidic device which comprises;

a body structure;

a plurality of integrated channels disposed in the body structure, the plurality of integrated channels comprising;

at least a first transverse channel;

at least first and second side channels disposed on a first side of the transverse channel, each of the first and second side channels having first and second ends, the first ends intersecting the transverse channel, and the second ends being in fluid communication with at least a first source of first material;

at least third and fourth side channels disposed on a second side of the transverse channel each of the third and fourth channels having first and second ends, the first ends being in fluid communication with the transverse channel, and the second ends being in fluid communication with a waste reservoir; and

a material transport system for transporting a second material into the transverse channel, and for transporting portions of the second material into the third and fourth channels by directing a flow of first material from the first source, through the first and second channels into the transverse channel.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein in the introducing step, a separate current is applied from each of the first and second voltage sources to the first transverse channel to provide a pinching flow of current from each of the first, second and third side channels, into the first transverse channel.

34. A method of directing one or more materials serially introduced into a microscale channel, into a plurality of parallel channels fluidly connected to the microscale channel, the method comprising:

providing a microfluidic device having at least a first microscale transverse channel, at least first and second microscale side channels intersecting a first side of the transverse channel, at least third and fourth microscale side channels intersecting a second side of the transverse channel;

introducing one or more materials serially into the first transverse channel;

directing at least a portion of the one or more materials into the at least third and fourth channels by directing material into the transverse channel from the first and second channels.

35. A method of converting one or more materials serially introduced into a microfluidic device into a plurality of separate parallel channels, comprising:

providing a microfluidic device that comprises;

a substrate having an interconnected microscale channel network disposed therein, the channel network comprising;

a first transverse channel;

at least first and second side channels each having first and second ends, the first and second side channels intersecting the first transverse channel at the first ends of the first and second side channels;

at least a third side channel having a first and a second end, the third channel intersecting the first transverse channel at the first end of the third side channel;

first voltage source in electrical communication with the second ends of the first and second side channels;

a second voltage source in electrical communication with the second end of the third side channel;

wherein an electrical current path between the first voltage source and the second voltage source via the third channel has substantially the same electrical resistance via the first side channel as via the second side channel;

introducing the one or more materials into the first transverse channel in a serial orientation; and

applying a current between the first voltage source and the second voltage source to electrokinetically transport at least a portion of the first material into each of the first and second channels.

37. A method of controllably transporting a material among a plurality of interconnected microscale channels, comprising:

providing a microfluidic device having;

a body structure having a channel network disposed therein, the channel network including a plurality of intersecting microscale channels, the plurality of microscale channels comprising n channels and x unintersected channel termini, wherein x is less than or equal to n, and provided that x is at least 2 and n is at least 3; and

applying a separate selected electrical potential to at least three of the x reservoirs simultaneously, whereby material is controllably moved at the n intersections.