Method and system for inhibiting cross-contamination in fluids of combinatorial chemistry device
First Claim
1. An array for accomplishing various chemical processes through the use of fluids, the array comprising:
- a plurality of reservoirs, microchannels and reaction cells disposed on a dielectric substrate, where fluids are selectively channeled from the plurality of reservoirs to the plurality of reaction cells through the plurality of microchannels;
a plurality of micropumps located in the array for pumping fluid through the microchannels; and
a plurality of dams located in the array, each for inhibiting the flow of fluid in one of the microchannels.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for accomplishing a plurality of combinatorial processes in parallel comprising a microelectronic and fluidic array (device array) having micron-sized reservoirs, connecting microchannels and reaction cells etched into a substrate. The device array is supported by a station which serves to interface and perform electro-optic measurements of material in the reaction cells of the device array. The device array incorporates a modular configuration with three distinct layers or plates. The device array comprises a top feedthru plate, a center distribution plate and a bottom cell plate. The three plates are stacked vertically and coupled together to form a liquid-tight seal. Reservoirs, microchannels and reactions cells are controllably etched onto the plates using traditional semiconductor fabrication techniques. The top feedthru plate serves as a cover for the device array and contains apertures selectively positioned above the reservoirs located in the center distribution plate. The center distribution plate comprises a plurality of micron sized reservoirs, microchannels, reservoir feeds, cell feeds and overflow feeds for the distribution of reagent fluids to the reaction cells located in the bottom cell plate. The detachable bottom cell plate serves as a microlaboratory tray of reaction cells. Once the proper reagents or other materials are introduced into the reaction cells, the bottom cell plate is decoupled from the device array and removed for incubation or analysis.
667 Citations
34 Claims
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1. An array for accomplishing various chemical processes through the use of fluids, the array comprising:
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a plurality of reservoirs, microchannels and reaction cells disposed on a dielectric substrate, where fluids are selectively channeled from the plurality of reservoirs to the plurality of reaction cells through the plurality of microchannels; a plurality of micropumps located in the array for pumping fluid through the microchannels; and a plurality of dams located in the array, each for inhibiting the flow of fluid in one of the microchannels. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An array for accomplishing various chemical processes through the use of fluids, the array comprising:
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a plurality of reservoirs, microchannels and reaction cells disposed on a dielectric substrate, where fluids are selectively channeled from the plurality of reservoirs to the plurality of reaction cells through the plurality of microchannels, wherein the reservoirs and microchannels are formed in a first plate of dielectric substrate, the top surface of which is sealed to the bottom surface of a second plate of dielectric substrate; a plurality of electrical conduits extending through the second plate; and a plurality of micropumps connected to the electrical conduits. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. An array for accomplishing various chemical processes through the use of fluids, the array comprising:
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a plurality of microchannels and reaction cells disposed on a dielectric substrate, wherein the microchannels are formed in a first plate of dielectric substrate, the top surface of which is sealed to the bottom surface of a second plate of dielectric substrate, wherein the microchannels comprise a plurality of continuous flow channels each designed to maintain a continuous flow of a fluid which can be delivered to a plurality of reaction cells and a bypass channel connected to the plurality of continuous flow channels for accepting and draining the fluid from the continuous flow microchannels that is not delivered to a reaction cell. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. An array for accomplishing various chemical processes through the use of fluids, the array comprising:
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a plurality of reservoirs, microchannels and reaction cells disposed on a dielectric substrate, where fluids are selectively channeled from the plurality of reservoirs to the plurality of reaction cells through the plurality of microchannels, wherein the reservoirs and microchannels are formed in a first plate of dielectric substrate, the top surface of which is sealed to the bottom surface of a second plate of dielectric substrate; a plurality of electrical conduits extending through the second plate; and a plurality of micropumps each comprising two electrodes, which electrodes project from the electrical conduits. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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Specification