US2004137445A1PendingUtilityA1

Apparatus and method for performing microfluidic manipulations for chemical analysis

52
Priority: Aug 1, 1994Filed: May 9, 2003Published: Jul 15, 2004
Est. expiryAug 1, 2014(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:J. Michael Ramsey
B29C 66/54B01J 2219/00831B01J 2219/00912G01N 30/16B01L 2400/0418B01L 2300/0816B01F 33/3031B29C 66/026B01J 2219/00826G01N 30/02G01N 2030/8435B01L 2400/0421B29C 66/034G01N 27/44743B01L 2400/0415G01N 2030/285B01L 3/502776B01J 2219/00891B01J 19/0093B01L 3/5027B01J 2219/00853B29C 65/4895B01J 2219/0097B01F 33/30B01L 3/50273Y10S366/01B01L 3/502715B01L 3/502753B01J 2219/00828G01N 2030/027B01J 2219/00995B01L 3/502738B01L 2300/0883G01N 30/6095B01J 2219/00783B01J 2219/00916B01F 33/3011B01L 3/502784G01N 2030/383G01N 2030/162G01N 27/44791B01L 2300/0867B01J 2219/00889B01L 2200/0605B01J 2219/00952G01N 27/26G01N 27/00
52
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Claims

Abstract

A microchip apparatus and method provide fluidic manipulations for a variety of applications, including sample injection for microchip liquid chromatography. The microchip is fabricated using standard photolithographic procedures chemical wet etching, with the substrate and cover plate joined using direct bonding. Capillary electrophoresis is performed in channels formed in the substrate. Injections are made by electro-osmotically pumping sample through the injection channel that crosses the separation channel, followed by a switching of the potentials to force a plug into the separation channel.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method of sample injection, comprising: 
 a. providing a microchip, the microchip comprising an interconnecting channel structure and a cover enclosing the interconnecting channel structure, the interconnecting channel structure comprising first, second, third, and fourth channel segments, the first, second, third, and fourth channel segments communicating at an intersection, the first and third channel segments opposing one other, and the second and fourth channel segments opposing one other;    b. moving a first material from the first channel segment into the intersection; and    c. subsequently moving at least a portion of the first material in the intersection into the second channel segment and simultaneously moving at least a portion of the first material in the first channel segment away from the intersection.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of moving the first material into the intersection comprises moving the first material through the intersection into the third channel segment.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the step of subsequently moving at least a portion of the first material in the intersection into the second channel segment comprises simultaneously moving at least a portion of the first material in the first channel segment and at least a portion of the first material in the third channel segment away from the intersection.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the step of moving the first material through the intersection and into the third channel segment comprises moving a second material from at least one of the second and fourth channel segments into the intersection.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the step of moving the first material through the intersection and into the third channel segment comprises moving at least a second material from each of the second and fourth channel segments into the intersection.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the step of moving the at least second material from the second and fourth channel segments into the intersection further comprises moving the second material through the intersection into the third channel segment.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of moving at least a portion of the first material from the first channel segment into the intersection comprises applying an electric field between the first channel segment and the third channel segment, through the intersection.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the step of moving the at least first material in the first channel segment away from the intersection comprises applying an electric field between the third channel segment and the first channel segment through the intersection.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second channel segment communicates with the intersection between the first channel segment and the third channel segment and the fourth channel segment communicates with the intersection between the third channel segment and the first channel segment.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the intersection comprises a cross intersection.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first material comprises nucleic acids.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising detecting at least a portion of the first material in the second channel segment.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the first material comprises a detectable label associated therewith.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the detectable label comprises a fluorescent label.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the detecting step comprises exciting the fluorescent label, and detecting emitted fluorescence in the second channel segment.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the fluorescent label is excited in the second channel segment using a laser.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the fluorescent label is excited in the second channel segment using a laser diode.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the fluorescent label is excited in the second channel segment using a LED.  
     
     
         19 . A method of sample injection, comprising: 
 a. providing a substrate comprising an interconnecting channel structure, and a cover bonded to the substrate enclosing the interconnecting channel structure, wherein the interconnecting channel structure comprises first, second, third and fourth channel segments, and wherein the first, second, third and fourth channel segments communicate at a confluence region;    b. moving a first material from a first channel segment into the confluence region; and    c. subsequently moving the first material in the confluence region into the second channel segment and simultaneously moving the first material in the first channel segment away from the confluence region.    
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the confluence region comprises a microscale channel segment, the first, second, third and fourth channel segments being in fluid communication with the microscale channel segment, and wherein the moving step comprises moving the first material from the first channel segment into the microscale channel segment.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the step of moving the first material from the first channel segment into the confluence region comprises applying an electric field between the first channel segment and the third channel segment, through the confluence region.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the step of moving the at least first material in the first channel segment away from the confluence region comprises applying an electric field between the third channel segment and the first channel segment through the confluence region.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the second channel segment communicates with the confluence region between the first channel segment and the third channel segment and the fourth channel segment communicates with the confluence region between the third channel segment and the first channel segment.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the confluence region comprises a channel intersection.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the first channel segment is directly across the intersection from the third channel segment.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the first material comprises nucleic acids.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 20  further comprising detecting at least a portion of the first material in the second channel segment.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the first material comprises a detectable label associated therewith.  
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the detectable label comprises a fluorescent label.  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the detecting step comprises exciting the fluorescent label, and detecting emitted fluorescence in the second channel segment.  
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the fluorescent label is excited in the second channel segment using a laser.  
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the fluorescent label is excited in the second channel segment using a laser diode.  
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the fluorescent label is excited in the second channel segment using a LED.  
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein in the providing step, the confluence region comprises a microscale channel segment, the first, second, third and fourth channel segments being in fluid communication with the microscale channel segment, and wherein the moving step comprises moving the first material from the first channel segment into the microscale channel segment and into the third channel segment.  
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the first channel segment is in fluid communication with the microscale channel region at a point across from a point at which the third channel segment is in fluid communication with the microscale channel segment.  
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the step of moving the first material into the confluence region comprises moving the first material through the confluence region into the third channel segment.  
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the step of subsequently moving the portion of first material into the second channel segment comprises simultaneously moving the first material in the first channel segment and the first material in the third channel segment away from the confluence region.  
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the step of moving the first material through the confluence region and into the third channel segment comprises moving a second material from the at least one of the second and fourth channel segments into the confluence region.  
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the step of moving the first material through the confluence region and into the third channel segment comprises moving at least a second material from each of the second and fourth channel segments into the confluence region.  
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the step of moving the at least second material from the second and fourth channel segments into the confluence region further comprises moving the second material through the confluence region into the third channel segment.  
     
     
         41 . A method of sample injection, comprising: 
 a. providing a substrate comprising an interconnecting channel structure, and a cover bonded to the substrate enclosing the interconnecting channel structure, wherein the interconnecting channel structure comprises first, second, third and fourth channel segments, and wherein the first, second, third and fourth channel segments communicate at a first microscale channel region;    b. moving a first material from the first channel segment into the first microscale channel region; and    c. injecting the first material in the first microscale channel region into the second channel segment while simultaneously moving the first material in the first channel segment away from the first microscale channel region.    
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the first material is electrokinetically moved from the first channel segment into the first microscale channel region.  
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the first material in the first microscale channel region is electrokinetically injected into the second channel segment and the first material in the first channel segment is electrokinetically moved away from the first microscale channel region.  
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the step of moving the first material into the first microscale channel region comprises moving the first material through the first microscale channel region into the third channel segment.  
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the step of subsequently moving the portion of first material into the second channel segment comprises simultaneously moving the first material in the first channel segment and the first material in the third channel segment away from the first microscale channel region.  
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the step of moving the first material through the first microscale channel region and into the third channel segment comprises moving a second material from the at least one of the second and fourth channel segments into the first microscale channel region.  
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the step of moving the first material through the first microscale channel region and into the third channel segment comprises moving at least a second material from each of the second and fourth channel segments into the first microscale channel region.  
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein the step of moving the at least second material from the second and fourth channel segments into the first microscale channel region further comprises moving the second material through the first microscale channel region into the third channel segment.  
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the second channel segment communicates with the first microscale channel region between the first channel segment and the third channel segment and the fourth channel segment communicates with the first microscale channel region between the third channel segment and the first channel segment.  
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein the first channel segment is directly across the first microscale channel region from the third channel segment.  
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the first material comprises nucleic acids.  
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 41  further comprising detecting at least a portion of the first material in the second channel segment.  
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 52 , wherein the first material comprises a detectable label associated therewith.  
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 53 , wherein the detectable label comprises a fluorescent label.  
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 54 , wherein the detecting step comprises exciting the fluorescent label, and detecting emitted fluorescence in the second channel segment.  
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 55 , wherein the fluorescent label is excited in the second channel segment using a laser.  
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 55 , wherein the fluorescent label is excited in the second channel segment using a laser diode.  
     
     
         58 . The method of  claim 55 , wherein the fluorescent label is excited in the second channel segment using a LED.

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