Microfluidic Temperature Control

• US 20180043356A1
• Filed: 01/30/2015
• Published: 02/15/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Domingue, Chantelle, Giri, Manish, Bengali, Sadiq
• Granted Patent: US 10,639,630 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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 2200/147 Employing temperature sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/023 Sending and receiving of information, e.g. using bluetooth
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0861 Configuration of multiple channels and/or chambers in a single devices
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/1827 using resistive heater
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0442 thermal energy, e.g. vaporisation, bubble jet
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/5027 by integrated microfluidic structures, i.e. dimensions of channels and chambers are such that surface tension forces are important, e.g. lab-on-a-chip B01L3/5023 takes precedence; micromixers B01F33/30; microreactors for synthesis B01J19/0093; microcapillary devices in general B81B1/00
• 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 7/00 Heating or cooling apparatus autoclaves B01J3/04; Heat insulating devices
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 7/52 with provision for submitting samples to a predetermined sequence of different temperatures, e.g. for treating nucleic acid samples amplification or hybridisation processes per se C12Q1/68; controlling sequential reactions for synthesis B01J19/0046
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 7/0087 On-device systems and sensors for controlling, regulating or monitoring

Abstract

A device includes a microfluidic channel structure on a substrate and a first resistive structure on the substrate to control the temperature of at least the substrate. The first resistive structure is separate from, and independent of the, microfluidic channel structure. In some instances, the device includes a second resistive structure.

Claims

1. A biologic test chip comprising:

a substrate;

a microfluidic channel structure on the substrate;

a first resistive structure on the substrate to selectively heat the substrate and to selectively sense a temperature of the substrate to control the temperature of at least the substrate, wherein the first resistive structure is separate from and independent of the microfluidic channel structure.

2. The chip of claim 1, comprising:

a plurality of second resistive structures located in the microfluidic channel structure, at least some of the second resistive structures to selectively pump fluid and to selectively apply heat within the microfluidic channel structure,

wherein the first resistive structure is electrically independent from the second resistive structures.

3. The chip of claim 1, wherein the first resistive structure has a size, a shape, a resistivity, and a thermal coefficient of resistance that is substantially different than a size, a shape, a resistivity, and a thermal coefficient of resistance of the second resistive structure.

4. The chip of claim 1, wherein the first resistive structure has a length and a shape substantially dissimilar from a shape and length of the microfluidic channel structure.

5. The chip of claim 1, wherein the first resistive structure comprises a plurality of first resistive structures, and wherein a first one of the respective first resistive structures has a shape and size generally corresponding to a shape and size of a periphery of the substrate, and

wherein a second one of the respective first resistive structures has a shape and size generally dissimilar to the shape and size of the periphery of the substrate and is electrically independent from the first one of the first resistive structures.

6. The chip of claim 1, wherein the first resistive structure comprises a plurality of first resistive structures, wherein at least some of the plurality of first resistive structures are electrically independent from each other, and spaced apart from each other on the substrate.

7. The chip of claim 6, including a one-to-one correspondence between each first respective first resistive structure and a respective one of a plurality of different microfluidic channel units.

8. A biologic microfluidic device comprising:

a substrate;

a microfluidic channel structure on the substrate;

a plurality of first resistive structures on the substrate separate from and independent of the microfluidic channel structure, the first resistive structures to selectively heat the substrate and to selectively sense a temperature of the substrate at a location of each respective first resistive structure;

a plurality of second resistive structures located in the microfluidic channel structure and electrically independent from the first resistive structures, at least some of the second resistive structures to selectively pump fluid and to selectively apply heat to the fluid within the microfluidic channel structure,

wherein the temperature sensed via at least some of the first resistive structures provides a feedback loop to at least partially determine whether heat is to be selectively applied to the substrate via at least one of the first resistive structures and at least some of the respective second resistive structures.

9. The biologic microfluidic device of claim 8, wherein a determination regarding which second resistive structures will apply heat is made according to locations of the respective second resistive structures relative to the sensed temperature at the corresponding location of a respective one of the first resistive structures.

10. The biologic microfluidic device of claim 8, comprising:

an input/output module in communication with at least the first resistive structures and the second resistive structures to receive feedback loop information regarding the sensed temperature to enable an external controller to initiate a command signal to cause the selective application of heat.

11. The biologic microfluidic device of claim 8, wherein the microfluidic channel structure comprises an array of independent microfluidic channel units, with each independent microfluidic channel unit defining a reaction process independent from a reaction process in the other respective independent channels, wherein a respective one of the first resistive structures corresponds with a respective one of the independent microfluidic channel units.

12. A biologic microfluidic device comprising:

a substrate;

a microfluidic channel structure on the substrate;

a first resistive array on the substrate separate from and independent of the microfluidic channel structure to selectively heat the substrate and to selectively sense localized temperatures of the substrate at spaced apart locations on the substrate;

a second resistive array located within the microfluidic channel structure to selectively apply heat and to selective pump fluid and being electrically independent from the first resistive array,

an input/output module to communicate the sensed localized temperature to an external thermal control mechanism for determination of the selective application of heat via at least one of the first resistive array and the second resistive array to achieve a selectively variable temperature protocol in at least one reaction process within the microfluidic channel structure.

13. The biologic microfluidic device of claim 12, wherein the first resistive array comprises a plurality of first resistive elements spaced apart from each other in a pattern at least partially surrounding the microfluidic channel structure.

14. The biologic microfluidic device of claim 13, wherein the second resistive array comprises a plurality of second resistive elements at spaced apart locations within the microfluidic channel structure, wherein a size and shape of at least some of the respective second resistive elements are substantially different than a size and shape of the microfluidic channel structure.

15. The biologic microfluidic device of claim 12, wherein the temperature sensing locations of the first resistive array are employed in a diagnostic mode, prior to intake of a fluid sample within the microfluidic device, to determine if the second resistive array meets operational criteria.