High aspect ratio performance coatings for biological microfluidics
First Claim
1. A method of improving the ability of a fluid being charged to a conduit to be drawn into and to flow easily within said conduit, wherein an interior surface of said conduit is vapor deposition coated with a material having a hydrophilicity or hydrophobicity which is related to the surface tension of said fluid.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
We have developed an improved vapor-phase deposition method and apparatus for the application of layers and coatings on various substrates. The method and apparatus are useful in the fabrication of biotechnologically functional devices, Bio-MEMS devices, and in the fabrication of microfluidic devices for biological applications. In one important embodiment, oxide coatings providing hydrophilicity or oxide/polyethylene glycol coatings providing hydrophilicity can be deposited by the present method, over the interior surfaces of small wells in a plastic micro-plate in order to increase the hydrophilicity of these wells. Filling these channels with a precise amount of liquid consistently can be very difficult. This prevents a water-based sample from beading up and creating bubbles, so that well can fill accurately and completely, and alleviates spillage into other wells which causes contamination.
-
Citations
16 Claims
- 1. A method of improving the ability of a fluid being charged to a conduit to be drawn into and to flow easily within said conduit, wherein an interior surface of said conduit is vapor deposition coated with a material having a hydrophilicity or hydrophobicity which is related to the surface tension of said fluid.
Specification