Electrical current for controlling fluid parameters in microchannels
First Claim
1. A microfluidic system, comprising:
- a substrate having at least a first microscale channel disposed therein;
a sensor operably coupled to the channel for determining a temperature of a fluid in at least a first portion of the channel; and
an energy source responsive to the temperature determined in the fluid in the first portion of the first channel, for applying a first electrical current through the at least first portion of the first channel to heat a fluid disposed within the first portion of the channel to a first elevated temperature.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A novel method and device for transporting and/or monitoring a fluid in a multi-port device 400, 800, 1000 used in a microfluidic system is provided. The multi-port device includes a substrate having a novel channel configuration. A first channel region 413 having a first port and a second port for transporting fluid therebetween is defined in the substrate. A second channel region 421 having a first port and a second port for applying electric current for heating fluid or for monitoring a fluid parameter therebetween is also defined in the substrate. In some embodiments, the first channel intersects 407 with the second channel. The heating or monitoring aspect of the invention can be used with a variety of biological reactions such as PCR, LCR, and others.
572 Citations
55 Claims
-
1. A microfluidic system, comprising:
-
a substrate having at least a first microscale channel disposed therein;
a sensor operably coupled to the channel for determining a temperature of a fluid in at least a first portion of the channel; and
an energy source responsive to the temperature determined in the fluid in the first portion of the first channel, for applying a first electrical current through the at least first portion of the first channel to heat a fluid disposed within the first portion of the channel to a first elevated temperature. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
-
-
27. A microfluidic device comprising:
-
a substrate;
a first microscale channel disposed within the substrate, the first microscale channel having first and second portions, the first portion comprising an elevated temperature region, the elevated temperature region having an increased electrical resistance therethrough, relative to other portions of the first channel, when an electrical current is applied through the first microscale channel;
a sensor operably coupled to the first channel for determining a temperature of a fluid in at least the first portion of the first channel; and
an energy source responsive to the temperature determined in the fluid in at least the first portion of the first channel. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29)
-
-
30. A microfluidic system comprising:
-
a substrate having at least first and second microscale channels, wherein a first portion of the second channel intersects the first channel at a first portion of the first channel;
a sensor operably coupled to at least the first channel for determining a temperature of a fluid in at least the first portion of the first channel; and
an energy source responsive to the temperature determined in the fluid in the first portion of the first channel, for applying a first electrical current through the at least first portion of the first channel to heat a fluid disposed within the first portion of the channel to a first elevated temperature. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55)
-
Specification