MICROPARTICLE SORTING APPARATUS, MICROCHIP AND MICROCHIP MODULE

• US 20110271746A1
• Filed: 04/28/2011
• Published: 11/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Akiyama, Shoji, Matsui, Takeshi, Tsuji, Akiko, Shinoda, Masataka, Yamasaki, Takeshi
• Granted Patent: US 8,657,121 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/61.71
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/141 Preventing contamination, tampering
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0816 Cards, e.g. flat sample carriers usually with flow in two horizontal directions
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0887 Laminated structure
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/089 Virtual walls for guiding liquids
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0415 electrical forces, e.g. electrokinetic
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/049 vacuum
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/0268 using pulse dispensing or spraying, eg. inkjet type, piezo actuated ejection of droplets from capillaries
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502715 characterised by interfacing components, e.g. fluidic, electrical, optical or mechanical interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502761 specially adapted for handling suspended solids or molecules independently from the bulk fluid flow, e.g. for trapping or sorting beads, for physically stretching molecules investigating characteristics of particles G01N15/00
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502776 specially adapted for focusing or laminating flows
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 9/527 for microfluidic devices, e.g. used for lab-on-a-chip
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 15/1404 Handling flow, e.g. hydrodynamic focusing
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 15/1484 microstructural devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 15/149 specially adapted for sorting particles, e.g. by their size or optical properties
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2015/1418 Eliminating clogging of debris
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2015/149 Sorting the particles

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a microchip including a substrate and a sample flow path within the substrate. The sample flow path includes a changing flow path and a microtube connected to the changing flow path. The changing flow path is configured to change a cross sectional shape of the sample flow path from a quadrangular shape at a first end to a circular shape at a second end. The microtube is connected to the second end of the changing flow path and is disposed within the substrate.

Claims

1. A microchip comprising:

a substrate; and

a sample flow path within the substrate;

wherein the sample flow path includes;

a changing flow path configured to change a cross sectional shape of the sample flow path from a quadrangular shape at a first end of the changing flow path to a circular shape at a second end of the changing flow path; and

a microtube connected to the second end of the changing flow path, wherein the microtube is disposed within the substrate.

2. A microchip according to claim 1, further comprising a suction flow path having a first end in communication with the sample flow path and a second end connected to a negative pressure source.

3. A microchip according to claim 2, wherein the first end of the suction flow path is provided upstream of the changing flow path with respect to a sample flow direction.

4. A microchip according to claim 1, wherein the microtube is composed of a material selected from the group consisting of a metal, a ceramic, quartz or a resin.

5. A microchip according to claim 1, wherein a noble metal film is formed on a surface of the microtube.

6. A microchip according to claim 1, wherein the inner diameter of the microtube ranges from about 20 μ

m to about 500 μ

m.

7. A microchip according to claim 1, wherein the sample flow path comprises a second microtube connected to a sample liquid inlet.

8. A microchip according to claim 1, wherein the microchip comprises a sheath liquid inlet.

9. A microchip according to claim 1, wherein the sample flow path includes a narrowing flow path in which a cross sectional area perpendicular to a sample flow direction becomes smaller in the sample flow direction.

10. A microchip according to claim 1, wherein the microchip is composed of a material selected from the group consisting of a glass and a plastic.

11. A microparticle sorting apparatus comprising:

a microchip including;

a substrate; and

a sample flow path within the substrate;

wherein the sample flow path includes;

a changing flow path configured to change a cross sectional shape of the sample flow path from a quadrangular shape at a first end of the changing flow path to a circular shape at a second end of the changing flow path; and

a microtube connected to the second end of the changing flow path, wherein the microtube is disposed within the substrate;

a detecting section that detects characteristics of a microparticle which is caused to flow through the sample flow path; and

paired electrodes which control a movement of the microparticle to a specific portion of a collection section based on the characteristics detected by the detecting section.

12. A microparticle sorting apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the microchip comprises a suction flow path having a first end in communication with the sample flow path and a second end connected to a negative pressure source.

13. A microparticle sorting apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the first end of the suction flow path is provided upstream of the changing flow path with respect to a sample flow direction.

14. A microparticle sorting apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the microtube is composed of a material selected from the group consisting of a metal, a ceramic, quartz or a resin.

15. A microparticle sorting apparatus according to claim 11, wherein a noble metal film is formed on a surface of the microtube.

16. A microparticle sorting apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the inner diameter of the microtube ranges from about 20 μ

m to about 500 μ

m.

17. A microparticle sorting apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the sample flow path comprises a second microtube connected to a sample liquid inlet.

18. A microparticle sorting apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the microchip comprises a sheath liquid inlet.

19. A microparticle sorting apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the microchip comprises an electrode inlet, and the paired electrodes are inserted in the electrode inlet.

20. A microparticle sorting apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the sample flow path includes a narrowing flow path in which a cross sectional area perpendicular to a sample flow direction becomes smaller in the sample flow direction.

21. A microparticle sorting apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the collection section comprises a plurality of containers.

22. A microparticle sorting apparatus according to claim 11, comprising a vibration element provided on the microchip.

23. A microparticle sorting apparatus according to claim 11, comprising grounding electrodes.

24. A microparticle sorting apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the microchip is composed of a material selected from the group consisting of a glass and a plastic.

25. A microparticle sorting apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the detecting section comprises a laser light source, a radiation system and a detection system.

26. A microparticle sorting apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the detecting section detects optical, electrical or magnetic characteristics of the microparticle.

27. A microparticle sorting apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the paired electrodes are disposed to face each other outside the microchip.

28. A microchip module comprising:

a microchip including;

a substrate; and

a sample flow path within the substrate;

wherein the sample flow path includes;

a changing flow path configured to change a cross sectional shape of the sample flow path from a quadrangular shape at a first end of the changing flow path to a circular shape at a second end of the changing flow path; and

a microtube connected to the second end of the changing flow path, wherein the microtube is disposed within the substrate;

a vibration element provided on the microchip; and

a holder configured for holding the microchip and mounting the microchip to an apparatus.

29. A microchip module according to claim 28, wherein the microchip comprises a suction flow path having a first end in communication with the sample flow path and a second end connected to a negative pressure source.

30. A microchip module according to claim 29, wherein the first end of the suction flow path is provided upstream of the changing flow path with respect to a sample flow direction.

31. A microchip module according to claim 28, wherein the microtube is composed of a material selected from the group consisting of a metal, a ceramic, quartz or a resin.

32. A microchip module according to claim 28, wherein a noble metal film is formed on a surface of the microtube.

33. A microchip module according to claim 28, wherein the inner diameter of the microtube ranges from about 20 μ

m to about 500 μ

m.

34. A microchip module according to claim 28, wherein the sample flow path comprises a second microtube connected to a sample liquid inlet.

35. A microchip module according to claim 28, wherein the microchip comprises a sheath liquid inlet.

36. A microchip module according to claim 28, wherein the sample flow path includes a narrowing flow path in which a cross sectional area perpendicular to a sample flow direction becomes smaller in the sample flow direction.

37. A microchip module according to claim 28, wherein the microchip is composed of a material selected from the group consisting of a glass and a plastic.

38. A method of sorting microparticles comprising:

causing a sample liquid containing microparticles to flow through a microchip, the microchip including;

a substrate; and

a sample flow path within the substrate;

wherein the sample flow path includes;

a changing flow path configured to change a cross sectional shape of the sample flow path from a quadrangular shape at a first end of the changing flow path to a circular shape at a second end of the changing flow path; and

a microtube connected to the second end of the changing flow path, wherein the microtube is disposed within the substrate;

detecting characteristics of the microparticles; and

for each particle, controlling a movement of the microparticle to a specific portion of a collection section based on the detected characteristics of the microparticle.

39. A method according to claim 38, wherein the microchip comprises a suction flow path having a first end in communication with the sample flow path and a second end connected to a negative pressure source.

40. A method according to claim 39, wherein the first end of the suction flow path is provided upstream of the changing flow path with respect to a sample flow direction.

41. A method according to claim 38, wherein the microtube is composed of a material selected from the group consisting of a metal, a ceramic, quartz or a resin.

42. A method according to claim 38, wherein a noble metal film is formed on a surface of the microtube.

43. A method according to claim 38, wherein the inner diameter of the microtube ranges from about 20 μ

m to about 500 μ

m.

44. A method according to claim 38, wherein the sample flow path comprises a second microtube connected to a sample liquid inlet.

45. A method according to claim 38, wherein the microchip comprises a sheath liquid inlet.

46. A method according to claim 38, wherein the movement of the microparticle to a specific portion of the collection section is controlled by paired electrodes disposed to face each other outside the microchip.

47. A method according to claim 38, wherein the sample flow path includes a narrowing flow path in which a cross sectional area perpendicular to a sample flow direction becomes smaller in the sample flow direction.

48. A method according to claim 38, wherein the collection section comprises a plurality of containers.

49. A method according to claim 38, wherein the microchip is composed of a material selected from the group consisting of a glass and a plastic.

50. A method according to claim 38, wherein the detected characteristics of the microparticle are selected from the group consisting of:

optical characteristics, electrical characteristics and magnetic characteristics.