Microfluidic system utilizing thin-film layers to route fluid

• US 20040086427A1
• Filed: 10/31/2002
• Published: 05/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Childers, Winthrop D., Feinn, James A., Tyvoll, David, Sexton, Douglas A., Crivelli, Paul
• Granted Patent: US 7,932,098 B2
• 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 2200/12 Specific details about manufacturing devices
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/14 Process control and prevention of errors
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/02 Identification, exchange or storage of information
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0645 Electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0887 Laminated structure
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/1827 using resistive heater
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0415 electrical forces, e.g. electrokinetic
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502707 characterised by the manufacture of the container or its components by shaping or joining plastic parts B29C59/00, B29C65/00; by laminating B32B37/00; manufacture of microstructural devices in general B81C
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502715 characterised by interfacing components, e.g. fluidic, electrical, optical or mechanical interfaces
• 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: G01N 1/28 Preparing specimens for investigation including physical details of (bio-)chemical methods covered elsewhere, e.g. G01N33/50, C12Qmounting specimens on microscopic slides G02B21/34; means for supporting the objects or the materials to be analysed in electron microscopes H01J37/20 ; laboratory gas handling apparatus B01L5/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/25 including sample preparation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/25125 Digestion or removing interfering materials
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/2525 Stabilizing or preserving
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/25375 Liberation or purification of sample or separation of material from a sample [e.g., filtering, centrifuging, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/255 including use of a solid sorbent, semipermeable membrane, or liquid extraction
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/25625 Dilution
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/2575 Volumetric liquid transfer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/25875 Gaseous sample or with change of physical state

Abstract

Systems, including apparatus and methods, for microfluidic processing and/or analysis of samples. The systems include a microfluidic device having a substrate and a thin-film layer formed on the substrate. The thin-film layer may be included in electronics formed on the substrate. The electronics may provide electronic devices configured to sense or modify a property of the sample. The thin-film layer defines an opening for routing movement of fluid and/or sample within the device.

Claims

1. A device for performing analysis on a sample, comprising:

a substrate; and

thin-film layers formed on the substrate, the thin-film layers providing electronic devices configured to sense or modify a property of the sample,

wherein at least one of the thin-film layers defines an opening for routing movement of the sample within the device.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the electronic devices include devices selected from the group consisting of electrodes, heaters, and sensors.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the electronic devices are configured at least one of to heat the sample and to move the sample electrically.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the opening routes the sample across a surface of the substrate.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the substrate includes opposing surfaces, the substrate defining a channel that adjoins the opening and fluidically couples the opposing surfaces.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the device defines plural compartments, the opening routing the sample between at least two of the compartments.

7. A device for performing microfluidic analysis of a sample, comprising:

a substrate;

a fluid barrier connected to the substrate and at least partially defining a chamber that is sealed against local exit of fluid from the device; and

a thin-film layer formed on the substrate, the thin-film layer defining an opening that adjoins the chamber, the opening being configured to route fluid in relation to the chamber.

8. The device of claim 7, the thin-film layer being disposed generally between the substrate and the fluid barrier.

9. The device of claim 7, the thin-film layer being one of plural thin-film layers formed on the substrate, the plural thin-film layers providing at least one electronic device that is operably coupled to the chamber.

10. The device of claim 9, the at least one electronic device being at least one of a heater, a sensor, and an electrode.

11. The device of claim 7, the chamber being at least one of a concentration chamber, an amplification chamber, and an assay chamber.

12. The device of claim 7, wherein the substrate includes opposing surfaces, the substrate defining a channel that fluidically couples the first and second surfaces, the opening fluidically coupling the channel to the chamber.

13. The device of claim 7, the chamber being plural chambers, the opening being plural openings that route fluid between at least two of the plural chambers.

14. The device of claim 7, the opening being plural openings, the substrate defining a channel that adjoins at least two of the openings.

15. The device of claim 7, further comprising a fluid-handling portion that defines a compartment, the opening being configured to route fluid between the chamber and the compartment.

16. The device of claim 7, the chamber being a conduit for carrying fluid.

17. The device of claim 7, further comprising electronics formed on the substrate, the thin-film layer being included in the electronics.

18. The device of claim 17, the thin-film layer being a passivation layer of the electronics.

19. The device of claim 7, the substrate being a semiconductor.

20. The device of claim 7, wherein the substrate defines a channel that adjoins the opening, the channel having a first diameter, the opening defined by the thin-film layer having a second diameter, the first diameter being greater than the second diameter.

21. A method of fabricating a microfluidic device for analysis of a sample, comprising:

forming a thin-film layer on a substrate;

patterning the thin-film layer to form an opening;

creating a channel that extends into the substrate from the opening; and

attaching a fluid barrier to the substrate to define a chamber that is sealed against local exit of fluid from the device, the chamber adjoining the opening.

22. The method of claim 21, the thin-film layer being included in electronics formed on the substrate.

23. The method of claim 22, the electronics being operably coupled to the chamber.

24. The method of claim 21, further comprising coupling a compartment fluidically to the chamber so that the opening can route fluid between the chamber and the compartment.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein patterning includes exposing the thin-film layer to light and selectively removing regions of the thin-film layer based on such light exposure.

26. The method of claim 21, wherein the channel fluidically connects opposing surfaces of the substrate.

27. The method of claim 21, wherein the opening is one of at least two spaced openings defined by the thin-film layer, and the step of creating fluidically connects the at least two spaced openings.

28. The method of claim 21, wherein the thin-film layer is formed on a first surface of the substrate, the step of creating including attaching a mask to the substrate on an opposing second surface, the mask defining an opening that positions removal of the substrate as the channel is created.

29. The method of claim 21, the opening being plural spaced openings, the channel being a recess formed on a surface of the substrate so that the recess adjoins the plural openings.

30. A method of analyzing a sample having a composition using a microfluidic device, comprising:

modifying the composition of the sample in a first compartment of the device;

routing at least a portion of the modified sample to a second compartment of the device using an opening defined by a thin-film layer formed on a substrate; and

processing the sample portion in the second compartment.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the steps of modifying, routing, and processing are conducted in an isolated fluid network.

32. The method of claim 30, wherein the sample includes waste material, and modifying includes at least partially removing the waste material.

33. The method of claim 30, wherein processing assays the sample portion for presence of at least one analyte.

34. The method of claim 30, at least one of the first and second compartments being plural fluidically connected compartments.

35. The method of claim 30, processing being conducted at least partially by operating electronics formed on the substrate, the thin-film layer being included in the electronics.

36. The method of claim 35, the thin-film layer being an insulator.

37. The method of claim 30, wherein the step of routing is at least substantially determined by mechanically driven fluid flow.

38. A microfluidic device for analysis of a sample, comprising:

means for modifying the composition of the sample in a first compartment of the device;

means for routing at least a portion of the modified sample to a second compartment of the device, the means being at least partially defined by a thin-film layer formed on a substrate; and

means for processing the sample portion in the second compartment.