Microfluidic systems
First Claim
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1. A microfluidic device, comprising:
- a body structure comprising at least a first electrode and at least a second electrode; and
a plurality of integrated microscale channels disposed in the body structure, the plurality of integrated microscale channels comprising;
at least a first transverse channel, the first transverse channel being in electrical communication with at least the second electrode;
at least first and second side channels disposed on a first side of the transverse channel, each of the first and second side channels having first and second ends, the first ends intersecting the transverse channel, and the second ends being in electrical communication with at least the first electrode; and
wherein an electrical current path between the at least first electrode and the second electrode through the first side channel provides substantially equal resistance to a resistance between the first electrode and the second electrode through the second side channel.
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Abstract
The present invention generally provides microfluidic devices (200) and systems that utilize electrokinetic material transport systems to selectively control and direct the transport of materials through and among complex arrangements of integrated microscale channels (for example, 202 and 208+2n, where n=0, 1, . . . 8) disposed within integrated body structures.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A microfluidic device, comprising:
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a body structure comprising at least a first electrode and at least a second electrode; and
a plurality of integrated microscale channels disposed in the body structure, the plurality of integrated microscale channels comprising;
at least a first transverse channel, the first transverse channel being in electrical communication with at least the second electrode;
at least first and second side channels disposed on a first side of the transverse channel, each of the first and second side channels having first and second ends, the first ends intersecting the transverse channel, and the second ends being in electrical communication with at least the first electrode; and
wherein an electrical current path between the at least first electrode and the second electrode through the first side channel provides substantially equal resistance to a resistance between the first electrode and the second electrode through the second side channel.- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
at least third and fourth side channels disposed on a second side of the transverse channel, each of the third and fourth side channels having fist and second ends; and
wherein the fist transverse channel is in electrical communication with the second electrode via the third and fourth side channels, the first end of the third and fourth side channels intersecting the first transverse channel, and the second ends of the third and fourth side channels being in electrical communication with the at least second electrode.
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3. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least first and second side channels are in electrical communication with the first electrode via a first channel header, the electrical resistance between the first electrode and the transverse channel through the first channel header and the first side channel being substantially equal to the electrical resistance between the first electrode and the transverse channel through the first channel header and the second side channel.
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4. The device of claim 3, wherein the first channel header has a width that tapers as the channel header extends away from the first electrode.
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5. The device of claim 3, wherein the first channel header has a width sufficient to provide substantially no resistance along its length.
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6. The device of claim 3, further comprising a third electrode, the first and third electrodes being in electrical communication with different ends of the first channel header.
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7. The device of claim 6, wherein the first channel header comprises a parabolic geometry, the first and second side channels intersecting the first channel header at points along the first channel header whereby a current path between the first electrode and the transverse channel through the first channel header and the first side channel comprises substantially equal resistance to a current path between the third electrode and the transverse channel through the first channel header and the second side channel.
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8. The device of claim 7, wherein the current path between the first electrode and the transverse channel through the first channel header and the first side channel comprises substantially the same channel length as the current path between the third electrode and the transverse channel through the first channel header and the second side channel.
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9. The device of claim 2, wherein the at least first and second side channels are in electrical communication with the first electrode via a first channel header, the electrical resistance between the first electrode and the transverse channel through the first channel header and the first side channel being substantially equal to the electrical resistance between the first electrode and the transverse channel through the first channel header and the second side channel, and further wherein the at least third and fourth side channels are in electrical communication with the second electrode via a second channel header, the electrical resistance between the second electrode and the transverse channel through the second channel header and the third side channel being substantially equal to the electrical resistance between the second electrode and the transverse channel through the second channel header and the fourth side channel.
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10. The device of claim 9, wherein the second channel header has a width that tapers as the channel header extends away from the second electrode.
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11. The device of claim 9, wherein the second channel header has a width sufficient to provide substantially no resistance along its length.
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12. The device of claim 9, further comprising a fourth electrode, the second and fourth electrodes being in electrical communication with different ends of the second channel header.
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13. The device of claim 12, wherein the second channel header comprises a parabolic geometry, the third and fourth side channels intersecting the second channel header at points along the second channel header whereby a channel length between the second electrode and the transverse channel through the second channel header and the third side channel is substantially equal to a channel length between the fourth electrode and the transverse channel through the second channel header and the fourth side channel.
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14. The device of claim 13, further comprising fifth and sixth electrodes, the fifth and sixth electrodes being in electrical communication with different ends of the first transverse channel.
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15. The device of claim 1, wherein the first and second side channels comprise shallow regions at their first ends, the shallow regions having depths that are less than 50% of the depth of the transverse channel.
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16. The device of claim 1, wherein the first and second side channels comprise shallow regions at their first ends, the shallow regions having depths that are less than 20% of the depth of the transverse channel.
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17. The device of claim 1, wherein the first and second side channels comprise shallow regions at their first ends, the shallow regions having depths that are less than 10% of the depth of the transverse channel.
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18. The microfluidic device of claim 1, wherein the second electrode is located proximal to a terminus of the first transverse channel, and wherein each of the at least first and second side channels comprises a terminus at each second end, each terminus comprising a separate electrical control node.
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19. A microfluidic device, comprising:
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a substrate having an interconnected microscale channel network disposed therein, the channel network comprising;
a first transverse channel;
at least first and second side channels each having first and second ends, the first and second side channels intersecting the first transverse channel at the first ends of the first and second side channels;
at least a third side channel having a first and a second end, the third channel intersecting the first transverse channel at the first end of the third side channel;
a first voltage source in electrical communication with the second ends of the first and second side channels;
a second voltage source in electrical communication with the second end of the third side channel;
wherein an electrical current path between the first voltage source and the second voltage source via the third channel has substantially the same electrical resistance via the first side channel as via the second side channel.
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20. A method of converting one or more materials serially introduced into a microfluidic device into a plurality of separate parallel channels, comprising:
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providing a microfluidic device that comprises;
a substrate having an interconnected microscale channel network disposed therein, the channel network comprising;
a first transverse channel;
at least first and second side channels each having first and second ends, the first and second side channels intersecting the first transverse channel at the first ends of the first and second side channels;
at least a third side channel having a first and a second end, the third channel intersecting the first transverse channel at the first end of the third side channel;
a first voltage source in electrical communication with the second ends of the first and second side channels;
a second voltage source in electrical communication with the second end of the third side channel;
wherein an electrical current path between the first voltage source and the second voltage source via the third channel has substantially the same electrical resistance via the first side channel as via the second side channel;
introducing the one or more materials into the first transverse channel in a serial orientation; and
applying a current between the first voltage source and the second voltage source to electrokinetically transport at least a portion of the first material into each of the first and second channels. - View Dependent Claims (21)
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Specification