Microfluidic actuator
First Claim
1. A microfluidic actuator to provide a driving force to a microfluidic channel, comprising a sealed vacuum chamber containing a vacuum and situated adjacent to said microfluidic channel, a diaphragm arranged to separate said vacuum chamber from said microfluidic channel, and a releasing member arranged to unseal said vacuum chamber and release said vacuum into said microfluidic channel, said vacuum drawing a fluid into said microfluidic channel.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A simple microfluidic actuator includes a sealed vacuum chamber actuated by providing a current to a thin film heater, which in turn weakens and, under the atmospheric pressure differential, breaks a diaphragm sealing said vacuum chamber whereby the vacuum inside said chamber is released. By applying the microfluidic actuator to a microfluidic network the resulting pressure differential can be used to generate a pumping force with the microfluidic network. The chamber may be prepared in a silicon, glass, or plastic substrate. The diaphragm may be a metallic gas-impermeable film. A releasing member comprising a thin-film metallic heater is then microfabricated on the diaphragm. The assembly so prepared may be bonded to a glass or plastic substrate that contains a network of microchannels. The microfluidic actuator is suited for a microfluidic platform in generating driving powers for operations including pumping, metering, mixing and valving of liquid samples.
305 Citations
21 Claims
- 1. A microfluidic actuator to provide a driving force to a microfluidic channel, comprising a sealed vacuum chamber containing a vacuum and situated adjacent to said microfluidic channel, a diaphragm arranged to separate said vacuum chamber from said microfluidic channel, and a releasing member arranged to unseal said vacuum chamber and release said vacuum into said microfluidic channel, said vacuum drawing a fluid into said microfluidic channel.
- 8. A microfluidic channel system comprising a substrate, a microfluidic channel in said substrate, a sealed vacuum chamber in said substrate containing a vacuum and situated adjacent to said microfluidic channel, a diaphragm arranged to separate said vacuum chamber from said microfluidic channel, and a releasing member arranged to unseal said vacuum chamber and release said vacuum into said microfluidic channel, said vacuum drawing a fluid into said microfluidic channel.
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15. A method to prepare a microfluidic channel system, comprising:
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preparing a first substrate containing a microfluidic channel;
preparing a second substrate containing a vacuum chamber sealed with a diaphragm to contain a vacuum;
positioning a heater on said diaphragm;
bonding said first substrate to said second substrate whereby said vacuum chamber is adjacent to said microfluidic channel;
whereby said vacuum chamber and said microfluidic channel are separated by said diaphragm and whereby said heater is positioned at a portion of said diaphragm separating said vacuum chamber and said microfluidic channel, so that said heater may be activated causing said heater to open said diaphragm and release said vacuum into said microfluidic channel, said vacuum chamber drawing said fluid into said microchannel. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification