Apparatus for manipulating, modifying and characterizing particles in a micro channel

• US 9,995,668 B2
• Filed: 02/01/2007
• Issued: 06/12/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ecole polytechnique fãdãrale de lausanne epfl (Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft)
• Original Assignee: Ecole polytechnique fãdãrale de lausanne epfl (Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft)
• Inventors: Renaud, Philippe, Linderholm, Pontus, Braschler, Thomas, Demierre, Nicolas, Seger, Urban
• Primary Examiner(s): Kessel, Maris R
• Application Number:
  US12/278,087
• Publication Number:
  US 20100006441A1
• Time in Patent Office: 4,149 Days
• Field of Search: 204451, 204547, 204601, 204643
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0647 Handling flowable solids, e.g. microscopic beads, cells, particles
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0668 Trapping microscopic beads
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/12 Specific details about manufacturing devices
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/147 Employing temperature sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0645 Electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0864 comprising only one inlet and multiple receiving wells, e.g. for separation, splitting
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0415 electrical forces, e.g. electrokinetic
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0424 Dielectrophoretic forces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/086 using baffles or other fixed flow obstructions
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502746 characterised by the means for controlling flow resistance, e.g. flow controllers, baffles B01L3/502738 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502761 specially adapted for handling suspended solids or molecules independently from the bulk fluid flow, e.g. for trapping or sorting beads, for physically stretching molecules investigating characteristics of particles G01N15/00
• CPC Class Codes: B03C 5/026 using open-gradient differential dielectric separation, i.e. using electrodes of special shapes for non-uniform field creation, e.g. Fluid Integrated Circuit [FIC]
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 15/12 by observing changes in resistance or impedance across apertures when traversed by individual particles, e.g. by using the Coulter principle

Abstract

Microfluidic system comprising a space for containing a liquid and at least one lateral chamber in communication with said space, said lateral chamber containing a metal electrode. The lateral chamber and the space are designed to be filled by the same or different liquid when the system is active.

Claims

1. An impedance measurement device for measuring an impedance of flowing particles by an electric field, comprising:

a channel for conducting a liquid with the flowing particles;

a first electrode chamber, and a first solid state electrode located inside the first electrode chamber such that a first cavity is formed between the first solid state electrode and walls of the first electrode chamber;

a second electrode chamber, and a second solid state electrode located inside the second electrode chamber such that a second cavity is formed between the second solid state electrode and walls of the second electrode chamber, the first and the second solid state electrodes are configured to generate the electric field for the impedance measurement of the flowing particles;

a first conduit providing a fluid communication between the first cavity of the first electrode chamber and the channel so that the liquid from the channel can contact the first solid state electrode via the first conduit and the first cavity;

a second conduit providing a fluid communication between the second cavity of the second electrode chamber and the channel so that the liquid from the channel can contact the second solid state electrode via the second conduit and the second cavity; and

an electric connection from at least one of the first and the second solid state electrodes, the electric connection connected to a measurement instrument for the impedance measurement,

wherein at least one of the first and the second solid state electrode has a tapered shape that becomes narrower towards the channel, an end of the tapered shape facing the channel forming a surface that is parallel to the channel, and the parallel surface is not located inside the channel.

2. The impedance measurement device of claim 1, wherein at least one of a portion of the first electrode chamber becomes narrower with a decreased distance towards the channel, and a portion of the second electrode chamber becomes narrower with a decreased distance towards the channel.

3. The impedance measurement device of claim 1, wherein no portion of the first and second solid state electrodes are located in the channel but a portion of the first and second solid state electrodes are located in the first and second conduits, respectively.

4. The impedance measurement device of claim 3, wherein the first and second conduits are both arranged perpendicular to a longitudinal extension of the channel.

5. The impedance measurement device of claim 2, wherein the first and second solid state electrodes are configured to be operated for current injection.

6. The impedance measurement device of claim 2, wherein the first and second solid state electrodes are configured to be operated for voltage measurement.

7. The impedance measurement device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first conduit and second conduit includes vertical obstacles to minimize flow at the first and the second conduit.

8. The impedance measurement device of claim 1, further comprising:

a third electrode chamber, and a third solid state electrode located inside the third electrode chamber such that a third cavity is formed between the third solid state electrode and walls of the third electrode chamber;

a fourth electrode chamber, and a fourth solid state electrode located inside the fourth electrode chamber such that a fourth cavity is formed between the fourth solid state electrode and walls of the fourth electrode chamber;

a third conduit providing a fluid communication between the third cavity of the third electrode chamber and the channel;

a fourth conduit providing a fluid communication between the fourth cavity of the fourth electrode chamber and the channel; and

a working zone cavity located downstream of the first and second conduits, and upstream of the third and fourth conduits.

9. The impedance measurement device of claim 8, wherein the working zone cavity has a meandering shape.

10. The impedance measurement device of claim 1, further comprising:

a branching channel in fluid communication with the channel,

wherein the first and second electrode chambers and the first and second conduits are located on one side of the channel, and the branching channel is located on another side of the channel, in an area between the first and second conduits.

11. The impedance measurement device of claim 1, wherein the first and second electrode chambers have walls that are made of gas-permeable material.

12. The impedance measurement device of claim 1, wherein the flowing particles are cells.

13. The impedance measurement device of claim 1, wherein the first and second solid state electrodes are patterned onto the walls of the first and second electrode chambers, respectively.

14. The impedance measurement device of claim 1, wherein the first conduit provides a separation between the first solid state electrode and the channel, and the second conduit provides a separation between the second solid state electrode and the channel.

15. The impedance measurement device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and the second solid state electrode has a tapered shape that becomes narrower towards the channel, an end of the tapered shape facing the channel forming a rectangular-shaped electrode portion.

16. The impedance measurement device of claim 15, wherein no portion of the rectangular-shaped electrode portion is located inside the channel.

17. The impedance measurement device of claim 1, wherein a portion of the at least one of the first and the second solid state electrodes has a triangular shape, a side wall of the triangular shape is exposed to the at least one first and second cavity, respectively.

18. The impedance measurement device of claim 1, wherein no electrodes are arranged inside the channel for impedance measurement.

19. An impedance measurement device for measuring an impedance of flowing particles by an electric field, comprising:

a channel for conducting a liquid with the flowing particles;

a first electrode chamber, and a first solid state electrode located inside the first electrode chamber such that a first cavity is formed between the first solid state electrode and walls of the first electrode chamber;

a second electrode chamber, and a second solid state electrode located inside the second electrode chamber such that a second cavity is formed between the second solid state electrode and walls of the second electrode chamber, the first and the second solid state electrodes are configured to generate the electric field for the impedance measurement of the flowing particles;

a first conduit providing a fluid communication between the first cavity of the first electrode chamber and the channel so that the liquid from the channel can contact the first solid state electrode via the first conduit and the first cavity;

a second conduit providing a fluid communication between the second cavity of the second electrode chamber and the channel so that the liquid from the channel can contact the second solid state electrode via the second conduit and the second cavity; and

an electric connection from at least one of the first and the second solid state electrodes, the electric connection connected to a measurement instrument for the impedance measurement,

wherein at least one of the first and the second solid state electrode has a tapered shape that becomes narrower towards the channel, and an end of the tapered shape facing the channel forms a rectangular-shaped electrode portion.

20. An impedance measurement device for measuring an impedance of flowing particles by an electric field, comprising:

a channel for conducting a liquid with the flowing particles;

a first electrode chamber, and a first solid state electrode located inside the first electrode chamber such that a first cavity is formed between the first solid state electrode and walls of the first electrode chamber;

a second electrode chamber, and a second solid state electrode located inside the second electrode chamber such that a second cavity is formed between the second solid state electrode and walls of the second electrode chamber, the first and the second solid state electrodes are configured to generate the electric field for the impedance measurement of the flowing particles;

a first conduit providing a fluid communication between the first cavity of the first electrode chamber and the channel so that the liquid from the channel can contact the first solid state electrode via the first conduit and the first cavity;

a second conduit providing a fluid communication between the second cavity of the second electrode chamber and the channel so that the liquid from the channel can contact the second solid state electrode via the second conduit and the second cavity; and

an electric connection from at least one of the first and the second solid state electrodes, the electric connection connected to a measurement instrument for the impedance measurement,

wherein a portion of the at least one of the first and the second solid state electrodes has a triangular shape, and a side wall of the triangular shape is exposed to the at least one first and second cavity, respectively.