Method and Apparatus for Programmable Fluidic Processing

• US 20150323497A1
• Filed: 07/22/2015
• Published: 11/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/1999
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Board of Regents of the University of Texas System (University of Texas System)
• Original Assignee: Board of Regents of the University of Texas System (University of Texas System)
• Inventors: BECKER, Frederick F., GASCOYNE, Peter, WANG, Xiaobo, VYKOUKAL, Jody Valentine, De GASPERIS, Giovanni
• Application Number:
  US14/806,161
• Publication Number:
  US 20150323497A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 2215/0404 theories or general explanations of phenomena associated with mixing or generalizations of a concept by comparison of equivalent methods
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/3031 using electro-hydrodynamic [EHD] or electro-kinetic [EKI] phenomena to mix or move the fluids
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/143 Quality control, feedback systems
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/089 Virtual walls for guiding liquids
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0421 electrophoretic flow
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0424 Dielectrophoretic forces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0454 radiation pressure, optical tweezers
• 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 3/502792 for moving individual droplets on a plate, e.g. by locally altering surface tension
• CPC Class Codes: B03C 5/005 Dielectrophoresis, i.e. dielectric particles migrating towards the region of highest field strength B03C5/02 takes precedence; electrophoresis B01D57/02
• CPC Class Codes: B03C 5/024 using high-gradient differential dielectric separation, i.e. using a dielectric matrix polarised by an external field
• CPC Class Codes: B03C 5/026 using open-gradient differential dielectric separation, i.e. using electrodes of special shapes for non-uniform field creation, e.g. Fluid Integrated Circuit [FIC]
• CPC Class Codes: B03C 5/028 using travelling electric fields, i.e. travelling wave dielectrophoresis [TWD]
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/447 using electrophoresis
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/44773 Multi-stage electrophoresis, e.g. two-dimensional electrophoresis

Abstract

A method and apparatus for microfluidic processing by programmably manipulating a packet. A material is introduced onto a reaction surface and compartmentalized to form a packet. A position of the packet is sensed with a position sensor. A programmable manipulation force is applied to the packet at the position. The programmable manipulation force is adjustable according to packet position by a controller. The packet is programmably moved according to the programmable manipulation force along arbitrarily chosen paths.

Claims

1-41. -41. (canceled)

42. A device to manipulate at least one packet, comprising:

a reaction surface; and

an array of electrodes operably coupled to the reaction surface and adapted to generate electrical field distributions to impart manipulation forces on at least one packet disposed proximate the reaction surface in accordance with a selected manipulation protocol.

43. The device of claim 42, wherein the selected manipulation protocol is adapted to perform a reaction on a selected number of the at least one packet.

44. The device of claim 42, wherein the selected manipulation protocol is adapted to perform a reaction on a selected size of the at least one packet.

45. The device of claim 42, wherein the selected manipulation protocol is adapted to perform a reaction on a selected concentration of the at least one packet.

46. The device of claim 42, wherein the selected manipulation protocol is programmably-selected.

47. The device of claim 42, wherein the selected manipulation protocol is adapted to be selected by a user.

48. The device of claim 42, wherein the manipulation protocol is adapted to merge the at least one packet with at least one additional packet.

49. The device of claim 42, wherein the manipulation protocol is adapted to perform at least one function selected from mixing or splitting the at least one packet.

50. The device of claim 42, wherein the manipulation protocol is adapted to perform reactions on the at least one packet in at least one of in series or in parallel.

51. The device of claim 42, wherein each electrode of the array of electrodes is individually addressable.

52. The device of claim 42, wherein at least one set of electrodes of the array of electrodes is addressable as a group.

53. The device of claim 42, further comprising a capillary in communication with the reaction surface.

54. The device of claim 42, wherein the at least one packet is a fluid packet.

55. A system to manipulate at least one packet, comprising:

a device comprising;

a reaction surface, and

an array of electrodes operably coupled to the reaction surface and adapted to generate electrical field distributions to impart manipulation forces on at least one packet disposed proximate the reaction surface in accordance with a selected manipulation protocol; and

a controller coupled to the array of electrodes and adapted to address the array of electrodes to generate electrical field distributions and thereby impart manipulation forces on the at least one packet in accordance with the selected manipulation protocol.

56. The system of claim 55, wherein the selected manipulation protocol is adapted to perform a reaction on a selected number of the at least one packet.

57. The system of claim 55, wherein the selected manipulation protocol is adapted to perform a reaction on a selected size of the at least one packet.

58. The system of claim 55, wherein the selected manipulation protocol is adapted to perform a reaction on a selected concentration of the at least one packet.

59. The system of claim 55, wherein the selected manipulation protocol is programmably-selected.

60. The system of claim 55, wherein the selected manipulation protocol is adapted to be selected by a user.

61. The system of claim 55, wherein the manipulation protocol is adapted to merge the at least one packet with at least one additional packet.

62. The system of claim 55, wherein the manipulation protocol is adapted to perform at least one function selected from mixing or splitting the at least one packet.

63. The system of claim 55, wherein the manipulation protocol is adapted to perform reactions on the at least one packet in at least one of in series or in parallel.

64. The system of claim 55, wherein each electrode of the array of electrodes is individually addressable.

65. The system of claim 55, wherein at least one set of electrodes of the array of electrodes is addressable as a group.

66. The system of claim 55, wherein the device further comprises a capillary in communication with the reaction surface.

67. The system of claim 55, wherein the at least one packet is a fluid packet.

68. A method to manipulate at least one packet, comprising:

providing a device comprising

a reaction surface, and

an array of electrodes operably coupled to the reaction surface and adapted to generate electrical field distributions to impart manipulation forces on at least one packet disposed proximate the reaction surface in accordance with a selected manipulation protocol; and

generating electrical field distributions by addressing the array of electrodes to impart manipulation forces on the at least one packet in accordance with the selected manipulation protocol.

69. The method of claim 68, wherein the selected manipulation protocol is adapted to perform a reaction on a selected number of the at least one packet.

70. The method of claim 68, wherein the selected manipulation protocol is adapted to perform a reaction on a selected size of the at least one packet.

71. The method of claim 68, wherein the selected manipulation protocol is adapted to perform a reaction on a selected concentration of the at least one packet.

72. The method of claim 68, wherein the selected manipulation protocol is programmably-selected.

73. The method of claim 68, wherein the selected manipulation protocol is adapted to be selected by a user.

74. The method of claim 68, wherein the manipulation protocol comprises merging the at least one packet with at least one additional packet.

75. The method of claim 68, wherein the manipulation protocol comprises performing at least one function selected from mixing or splitting the at least one packet.

76. The method of claim 68, wherein the manipulation protocol comprises performing reactions on the at least one packet in at least one of in series or in parallel.

77. The method of claim 68, wherein each electrode of the array of electrodes is individually addressable.

78. The method of claim 68, wherein at least one set of electrodes of the array of electrodes is addressable as a group.

79. The method of claim 68, wherein the device further comprises a capillary in communication with the reaction surface.

80. The method of claim 68, wherein the at least one packet is a fluid packet.