Microfluidic device and method for focusing, segmenting, and dispensing of a fluid stream
First Claim
1. An apparatus for the spatial confinement of a material stream, comprising:
- a chamber formed in a surface of a substrate;
a sample channel formed in the surface of the substrate for conducting a sample stream therethrough, said sample channel having a first end in fluid communication with a source of a sample material and a second end in fluid communication with said chamber;
a focusing channel formed in the surface of the substrate for conducting a focusing stream therethrough, said focusing channel having a first end in fluid communication with a source of focusing material and a second end in fluid communication with said chamber;
a waste channel formed in the surface of the substrate, said waste channel having a first end in fluid communication with said chamber and a second end in fluid communication with a waste reservoir;
a buffer channel formed in the surface of the substrate for conducting a buffer stream therethrough, said buffer channel having a first end in fluid communication with a source of a buffer material and a second end in fluid communication with said chamber;
means for driving the respective streams of the sample and focusing materials through the respective channels into said chamber, whereby the focusing stream spatially confines the sample stream within said chamber; and
means for driving the buffer fluid through said buffer channel into said chamber such that the buffer material acts on the spatially confined sample stream.
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Abstract
A microfluidic device for forming and/or dispensing minute volume segments of a material is described. In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a microfluidic device and method is provided for spatially confining the material in a focusing element. The device is also capable of segmenting the confined material into minute volume segments, and dispensing a volume segment to a waste or collection channel. The device further includes means for driving the respective streams of sample and focusing fluids through respective channels into a chamber, such that the focusing fluid streams spatially confine the sample material. The device may also include additional means for driving a minute volume segment of the spatially confined sample material into a collection channel in fluid communication with the waste reservoir.
249 Citations
12 Claims
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1. An apparatus for the spatial confinement of a material stream, comprising:
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a chamber formed in a surface of a substrate;
a sample channel formed in the surface of the substrate for conducting a sample stream therethrough, said sample channel having a first end in fluid communication with a source of a sample material and a second end in fluid communication with said chamber;
a focusing channel formed in the surface of the substrate for conducting a focusing stream therethrough, said focusing channel having a first end in fluid communication with a source of focusing material and a second end in fluid communication with said chamber;
a waste channel formed in the surface of the substrate, said waste channel having a first end in fluid communication with said chamber and a second end in fluid communication with a waste reservoir;
a buffer channel formed in the surface of the substrate for conducting a buffer stream therethrough, said buffer channel having a first end in fluid communication with a source of a buffer material and a second end in fluid communication with said chamber;
means for driving the respective streams of the sample and focusing materials through the respective channels into said chamber, whereby the focusing stream spatially confines the sample stream within said chamber; and
means for driving the buffer fluid through said buffer channel into said chamber such that the buffer material acts on the spatially confined sample stream. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
means for driving buffer material in said collection channel into said chamber such that the buffer material acts on the spatially confined sample stream.
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3. An apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said means for driving the streams of the sample and focusing materials through the respective channels into said chamber, said means for driving the buffer material through said buffer channel into said chamber, and said means for driving the buffer material through said collection channel comprise a means selected from the group consisting of electrokinetic means for driving the respective streams, pressure-driven means for driving the respective streams, and a combination thereof.
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4. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said means for driving the streams of the sample and focusing materials through the respective channels into said chamber comprises a means selected from the group consisting of electrokinetic means for driving the respective streams, pressure-driven means for driving the respective streams, and a combination thereof.
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5. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said means for driving the streams of the sample and focusing materials through the respective channels into said chamber and said means for driving the buffer material through said buffer channel into said chamber comprise a means selected from the group consisting of electrokinetic means for driving the respective streams, pressure-driven means for driving the respective streams, and a combination thereof.
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6. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, 2, 4, 5, or 3 further comprising a second focusing channel formed in the surface of the substrate for conducting a second focusing stream therethrough, said second focusing channel having a first end in fluid communication with a source of focusing material and a second end in fluid communication with said chamber, said second end of said second focusing channel being positioned and arranged to provide said focusing material into said chamber such that the sample stream can be spatially confined in said chamber;
- and means for driving the focusing material in said second focusing channel such that said sample stream is spatially confined in said chamber.
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7. An apparatus as set forth in claim 6 wherein said means for driving the focusing material in said second focusing channel comprises a means selected from the group consisting of electrokinetic means for driving the focusing material, pressure-driven means for driving the focusing material, and a combination thereof.
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8. An apparatus as set forth in claim 6 wherein said focusing material driving means comprises means for controlling the flow of the focusing material in said first and second focusing channels such that the sample stream is spatially confined substantially along the center axis of said chamber.
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9. A method of forming and dispensing minute volume segments of a material in a microfluidic device, said method comprising the steps of:
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providing a microfluidic device that includes a body having first, second, third, and fourth microchannels formed therein, said first, second, third, and fourth microchannels communicating at a first intersection and said first microchannel being connected to a source of a first material;
providing a first focusing channel in said body having one end in fluid communication with a source of a focusing material and a second end in fluid communication with said first channel between said source of the first material and the first intersection;
transporting a stream of the first material through said first channel toward the first intersection, said stream of first material having a width;
transporting a stream of the focusing material from the first focusing channel into said first channel, such that the width of the stream of first material in said first channel is narrowed; and
dispensing a volume segment of the narrowed first material stream into the fourth channel. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
transporting a first buffer material through said third channel toward the first intersection; and
transporting the volume segment of the narrowed first material stream through the fourth channel.
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Specification