Apparatus and method for performing microfluidic manipulations for chemical analysis and synthesis
First Claim
1. A microchip laboratory system for analyzing or synthesizing chemical material, comprising:
- a body having disposed therein, a plurality of integrated channels connecting a plurality of at least five reservoirs, at least one reservoir having at least a first material disposed therein, and each of at least five of the reservoirs simultaneously having separate controlled electrical potentials associated therewith, said electrical potentials presenting a voltage gradient between one reservoir and at least one other reservoir, to transport said first material from said at least one other reservoir through at least one of the plurality of integrated channels toward at least one of the other reservoirs to expose said first material to one or more selected chemical or physical environments.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A microchip laboratory system and method provide fluid manipulations for a variety of applications, including sample injection for microchip chemical separations. The microchip is fabricated using standard photolithographic procedures and chemical wet etching, with the substrate and cover plate joined using direct bonding. Capillary electrophoresis and electrochromatography are performed in channels formed in the substrate. Analytes are loaded into a four-way intersection of channels by electrokinetically pumping the analyte through the intersection, followed by switching of the potentials to force an analyte plug into the separation channel.
615 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A microchip laboratory system for analyzing or synthesizing chemical material, comprising:
a body having disposed therein, a plurality of integrated channels connecting a plurality of at least five reservoirs, at least one reservoir having at least a first material disposed therein, and each of at least five of the reservoirs simultaneously having separate controlled electrical potentials associated therewith, said electrical potentials presenting a voltage gradient between one reservoir and at least one other reservoir, to transport said first material from said at least one other reservoir through at least one of the plurality of integrated channels toward at least one of the other reservoirs to expose said first material to one or more selected chemical or physical environments. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A microchip flow system, comprising:
a body having first and second channels disposed therein the first channel connecting first and second reservoirs, the first reservoir having a first material disposed therein, and the second channel connecting third and fourth reservoirs, the first channel intersecting the second channel at a point on the first channel between the first and second reservoirs to form a first intersection, and in which at least three of the reservoirs simultaneously have controlled electrical potentials associated therewith said electrical potentials effecting transport of a volume of first material from the first reservoir to the second reservoir through the first intersection, said volume being selectively controlled by the movement of a material from the third reservoir through the first intersection toward another reservoir. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A microflow control system, comprising a body having integrated channels connecting at least four reservoirs, wherein first and second reservoirs of the four reservoirs contain first and second materials, respectively, a channel connecting the first reservoir and a third reservoir forming an intersection with a channel connecting the second and a fourth reservoir;
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a voltage controller that; applies an electrical potential difference between the first reservoir and the third reservoir, and selectively applies a potential difference between the second and fourth reservoirs or the second and third reservoirs to transport a selected, variable volume of the first material from the first reservoir through the intersection toward the third reservoir.
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25. A method of controlling the flow of material through an interconnected channel system having at least first and second channels and at least four reservoirs, the first channel connecting first and third reservoirs and the second channel connecting second and fourth reservoirs, wherein the first reservoir contains a first material, the first channel intersecting the second channel at a first intersection between the first and third reservoirs, the method comprising:
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applying an electrical potential difference between the first reservoir and the third reservoir in a manner that transports a selected, variable volume of the first material from the first reservoir through the intersection toward the third reservoir; and after a selected time period, simultaneously applying a selected electrical potential to each of at least three of the four reservoirs in a manner that inhibits the movement of the first material through the intersection toward the third reservoir.
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Specification