Fourier detection of species migrating in a microchannel
First Claim
1. A microfluidic system for high-speed electrophoretic analysis of subject materials, said system comprisinga channel in a substrate, said channel holding said subject materials in solution in an electric field so that said materials move through said channel and separate into species bands according to species;
- a light source exciting fluorescent light in said bands;
a photoreceptor arranged to receive said fluorescent light from said bands;
means for masking said channel so that said photoreceptor can receive said fluorescent light only at periodically spaced regions along said channel; and
an unit connected to analyze frequencies of light intensity received by said photoreceptor so that velocities of said bands along said channel can be determined for analysis of said materials.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides a microfluidic system for fast, accurate and low cost electrophoretic analysis of materials in the fields of chemistry, biochemistry, biotechnology, molecular biology and numerous other fields. Light from periodically spaced regions along a channel in the microfluidic system are received by a photodetector. The intensity of light received by the photodetector is modulated by the movement of species bands through the channel under electrophoretic forces. By Fourier analysis, the velocity of each species band is determined and the identification of the species is made by its electrophoretic mobility in the channel.
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Citations
51 Claims
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1. A microfluidic system for high-speed electrophoretic analysis of subject materials, said system comprising
a channel in a substrate, said channel holding said subject materials in solution in an electric field so that said materials move through said channel and separate into species bands according to species; -
a light source exciting fluorescent light in said bands; a photoreceptor arranged to receive said fluorescent light from said bands; means for masking said channel so that said photoreceptor can receive said fluorescent light only at periodically spaced regions along said channel; and an unit connected to analyze frequencies of light intensity received by said photoreceptor so that velocities of said bands along said channel can be determined for analysis of said materials. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A microfluidic system for high-speed electrophoretic analysis of subject materials, said system comprising
a channel in a substrate, said channel holding said subject materials in solution in an electric field so that said materials move through said channel and separate into species bands according to species; -
a light source arranged to direct light toward said channel and said bands; a photoreceptor arranged to receive light from said channel; means for masking said channel so that said photoreceptor cab receive light at periodically spaced regions along said channel only; and an unit connected to analyze frequencies of light intensity received by said photoreceptor so that velocities of said bands along said channel can be determined for analysis of said materials. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A microfluidic system for high-speed electrophoretic analysis of subject materials, said system comprising
a channel in a substrate, said channel holding said subject materials in solution in an electric field so that said materials move through said channel and-separate into species bands according to species; -
a light source arranged to direct light toward said channel at periodically spaced regions along said channel only; a photoreceptor arranged to receive light from said channel; and an unit connected to analyze frequencies of light intensity received by said photoreceptor so that velocities of said bands along said channel can be determined for analysis of said materials. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24)
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25. A microfluidic system for high-speed electrophoretic analysis of subject materials, said system comprising
a channel in a substrate, said channel holding said subject materials in solution in an electric field so that said materials move through said channel and separate into species bands according to species; -
a light source arranged to direct light toward said channel; a photoreceptor arranged to receive light from periodically spaced regions along said channel only; and an unit connected to analyze frequencies of light intensity received by said photoreceptor so that velocities of said bands along said channel can be determined for analysis of said materials.
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26. A method of performing high-speed electrophoretic analysis of subject materials, said method comprising
holding said subject materials in solution in a channel of a microfluidic system; -
subjecting said materials to an electric field so that said subject materials move through said channel and separate into species bands; directing light toward said channel; receiving light from periodically spaced regions along said channel simultaneously; and analyzing frequencies of light intensity of said received light so that velocities of said bands along said channel can be determined for analysis of said materials. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A microfluidic system for high-speed electrophoretic analysis of subject materials, said system comprising
a channel in a substrate, said channel holding said subject materials in solution in an electric field so that said materials move through said channel and separate into species bands according to species; -
a light source exciting fluorescent light in said bands; a photoreceptor arranged to receive said fluorescent light from said bands; a mask for said channel so that said photoreceptor can receive said fluorescent light only at periodically spaced regions along said channel; and an unit connected to analyze frequencies of light intensity received by said photoreceptor so that velocities of said bands along said channel can be determined for analysis of said materials. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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42. A microfluidic system for high-speed electrophoretic analysis of subject materials, said system comprising
a channel in a substrate, said channel holding said subject materials in solution in an electric field so that said materials move through said channel and separate into species bands according to species; -
a light source arranged to direct light toward said channel and said bands; a photoreceptor arranged to receive light from said channel; a mask for said channel so that said photoreceptor can receive light at periodically spaced regions along said channel only; and an unit connected to analyze frequencies of light intensity received by said photoreceptor so that velocities of said bands along said channel can be determined for analysis of said materials. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49)
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50. A method of determining a material specie in a medium, comprising
moving said specie along a path though said medium; -
receiving light from periodically spaced intervals along said path; determining the velocity of said specie from frequency of light intensity variations of said received light as said specie moves along said path; and determining the identity of said specie from said velocity of said specie through said medium. - View Dependent Claims (51)
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Specification