Micropump for integrated device for biological analyses

• US 7,527,480 B2
• Filed: 09/16/2003
• Issued: 05/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: STMicroelectronics SRL (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Original Assignee: STMicroelectronics SRL (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Inventors: Scurati, Mario
• Primary Examiner(s): FREAY, CHARLES GRANT
• Application Number:
  US10/663,239
• Publication Number:
  US 20040141856A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,058 Days
• Field of Search: 417/148, 422/68.1, 422/100, 422/103, 435/6, 435/287.6, 435/288.5
• US Class Current: 417/148
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0816 Cards, e.g. flat sample carriers usually with flow in two horizontal directions
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/1827 using resistive heater
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/049 vacuum
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0677 phase change valves; Meltable, freezing, dissolvable plugs; Destructible barriers
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/50273 characterised by the means or forces applied to move the fluids micropumps F04B19/006, of the membrane type F04B43/043
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 7/52 with provision for submitting samples to a predetermined sequence of different temperatures, e.g. for treating nucleic acid samples amplification or hybridisation processes per se C12Q1/68; controlling sequential reactions for synthesis B01J19/0046
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 43/043 Micropumps

Abstract

A micropump includes a body (10) of semiconductor material, accommodating fluid-tight chambers (32), having an internal preset pressure, lower than atmospheric pressure. The fluid-tight chambers (32), sealed by a diaphragm (35) that can be electrically opened, are selectively openable using a first electrode (37) and second electrodes (38), accommodating between them portions of the diaphragm (35).

Claims

1. A micropump, comprising a body of semiconductor material, characterized by a plurality of fluid-tight chambers, selectively openable, formed within said body and having a preset internal pressure substantially different from standard atmospheric pressure, and at least one capacitor comprising a dielectric diaphragm arranged between a first electrode and a second electrode, wherein at least one of the fluid-tight chambers is sealed by the dielectric diaphragm.

2. The micropump according to claim 1, characterized in that each of said fluid-tight chambers is sealed by at least one diaphragm, openable electrically.

3. The micropump according to claim 1, characterized in that said diaphragm is of silicon dioxide.

4. The micropump according to claim 3, characterized in that said diaphragm has a thickness not greater than 1 μ

m.

5. The micropump according to claim 1, characterized by a first voltage source, connectable to said first electrode of said micropump and supplying a first voltage (V1), and a second voltage source, selectively connectable to one of said second electrodes of said micropump and supplying a second voltage (V2).

6. A method of amplification, comprising amplifying a target nucleic acid in an integrated microfluidic reactor, wherein a fluid comprising the target nucleic acid is moved through the microfluidic reactor using the micropump of claim 5.

7. A method of biological analysis, comprising analyzing a target biological molecule in an integrated microfluidic reactor, wherein a fluid comprising the target biological molecule is moved through the microfluidic reactor using the micropump of claim 5.

8. The micropump according to claim 1, characterized in that said chambers have a preset internal pressure substantially lower than standard atmospheric pressure.

9. The micropump according to claim 8, characterized in that said chambers have a preset internal pressure of about 100 mtorr.

10. A microfluidic device comprising:

a) a microfluidic circuit; and

b) a micropump, for moving a fluid through the microfluidic circuit, wherein the micropump comprises a body of semiconductor material, and a plurality of selectively openable fluid-tight chambers formed within said body and wherein a pressure differential is present between the fluid-tight chambers and the microfluidic circuits, wherein at least one of the fluid-tight chambers is sealed by a capacitor comprising a dielectric diaphragm arranged between a first electrode connected to a first voltage source and a second electrode connected a second voltage source.