International Business Machines Corporation

Bionano Genomics, Inc.

Aerogel Technologies Corporation

Benjamin H Wunsch

Joshua T Smith

Stacey M Gifford

Sung-Cheol Kim

Huan Hu

Gustavo Alejandro Stolovitzky

Yann A Astier

Chao Wang

Michael Albert Pereira

Robert L Bruce

Cornelia Tsang Yang

Sung Cheol Kim

Evan G Colgan

Dirk Pfeiffer

Cornelia K Tsang

Michael F Lofaro

Adam M Pyzyna

Stephen A Steiner, Iii

Daniel J Solis

Jyotica V Patel

Justin S Griffin

John N Schneider

Theodore Gerard Van Kessel

Eugene John O'Sullivan

Sufi Zafar

Vince Siu

Adele L Pacquette

Techniques regarding microfluidic chips with one or more vias filled with sacrificial plugs and/or manufacturing methods thereof are provided herein. For example, one or more embodiments described herein can comprise an apparatus, which can comprise a silicon device layer of a microfluidic chip comprising a plurality of vias extending through the silicon device layer. The plurality of vias comprise greater than or equal to about 100 vias per square centimeter of a surface of the silicon device layer and less than or equal to about 100,000 vias per square centimeter of the surface of the silicon device layer. Additionally, the apparatus can comprise a plurality of sacrificial plugs positioned in the plurality of vias.

Microfluidic chips with one or more vias filled with sacrificial plugs

Techniques regarding nanofluidic chips with a plurality of inlets and/or outlets in fluid communication with one or more nanoDLD arrays are provided. For example, one or more embodiments described herein can comprise a nanoscale deterministic lateral displacement array between and in fluid communication with a global inlet and a global outlet. The nanoscale deterministic lateral displacement array can further be between and in fluid communication with a local inlet and a local outlet. Also, the nanoscale deterministic lateral displacement array can laterally displace a particle comprised within a sample fluid supplied from the global inlet to a collection region that directs the particle to the local outlet. An advantage of such an apparatus can be the expanded versatility of the nanoscale deterministic lateral displacement array for sample preparation applications involving nanoparticles not accessible to other higher throughput microscale microfluidic technologies.

Microfluidic devices with multiple inlets and outlets

An apparatus for enriching a target gas from a gas mixture. The apparatus includes a cascading series of parallel arrangements of a plurality of gas separator cells. The gas separator cells of a second stage receive the output of gas separator cells of a prior stage as input. A gas separator cell includes an input portion, and a depleted gas outlet that is fed to an input of another gas separator cell or fed back to upstream stages. The outlet of a current stage connects to an input inlet of a subsequent stage. The input and output portions of the gas separator cell connect to form a chamber formed by connection of the input portion and the output portion and which includes a gas permeable membrane, selective to a target gas. The gas separator cell includes a gas permeable material supporting the gas permeable membrane.

Gas stream enrichment using silicone separator cascades

Techniques regarding one or more structures that can facilitate automated, multi-stage processing of one or more nanofluidic chips are provided. For example, one or more embodiments described herein can comprise a system, which can comprise a roller positioned adjacent to a microfluidic card comprising a plurality of fluid reservoirs in fluid communication with a plurality of nanofluidic chips. An arrangement of the plurality of nanofluidic chips on the microfluidic card can defines a processing sequence driven by a translocation of the roller across the microfluidic card.

Structures for automated, multi-stage processing of nanofluidic chips

Techniques regarding screening for mutations using nanoscale deterministic arrays are provided. For example, one or more embodiments described herein can comprise a method, which can comprise cleaving a deoxyribonucleic acid segment hybridized with a molecular probe to form a sample fluid. The cleaving can occur at a first end and a second end of the molecular probe. Also, the cleaving can comprise a cleaving agent that targets base pair mismatches. The method can also comprise supplying the sample fluid to a nanoscale deterministic lateral displacement array to screen for a single nucleotide polymorphism.

Detection of mutations regarding one or more deoxyribonucleic acid sequences using deterministic lateral displacement arrays

An exemplary method includes forming a sacrificial layer along sidewalls of an array of trenches that are indented into a substrate, depositing a fill layer over the sacrificial layer, and then creating an array of gaps between the fill layer and the substrate by removing the sacrificial layer along the sidewalls of the trenches, while maintaining a structural connection between the substrate and the fill layer at the floors of the trenches. The method further includes covering the substrate, the fill layer, and the gaps with a cap layer that seal fluid-tight against the substrate and the fill layer. The method further includes indenting a first reservoir and a second reservoir through the cap layer, and into the substrate and the fill layer, across the lengths of the array of gaps, so that the array of gaps connects the first reservoir in fluid communication with the second reservoir.

Precision fabrication of nanosieves

A fluidic processor device and a wafer including the same, the device including a nanofluidic separator chip including a nanoDLD array, a housing for housing the chip including a top plate disposed on a topside of the chip, a bottom plate disposed on a backside of the chip and fastened to the top plate, and a spacer disposed between the chip and the bottom plate to create a clearance between the chip and the bottom plate for forming a drain space on the backside of the chip.

Single layer nanofluidic separator chip and fluidic processor

A method of forming a microfluidic device is disclosed. The method includes forming a first dielectric layer on a substrate, forming electrodes partially into the first dielectric layer, and forming a second dielectric layer on the electrodes. The method includes filling, with a metal material, two wells formed in the second dielectric layer such that the metal material is in direct contact with the electrodes. The method includes forming a third dielectric layer on the metal material and second dielectric layer. The method includes filling, with a structural material, a channel formed between the wells such that the structural material does not directly contact the electrodes. The method includes forming a fourth dielectric layer on the third dielectric layer and the structural material, extracting the structural material through at least one vent hole in the fourth dielectric layer, and forming a fifth dielectric layer on the fourth dielectric layer.

Tailorable electrode capping for microfluidic devices

A method for fabricating a fluidic device includes depositing a sacrificial material on a pillar array arranged on a substrate. The method also includes removing a portion of the sacrificial material. The method further includes depositing a sealing layer on the pillar array to form a sealed fluidic cavity.

Fluidic cavities for on-chip layering and sealing of separation arrays

Techniques regarding integrated purification-detection devices for detecting one or more biomarkers are provided. For example, one or more embodiments described herein are directed to an apparatus, comprising a housing and a microfluidic chip contained within the housing. The microfluidic chip comprises a separation unit that separates, using one or more nano deterministic lateral displacement (nanoDLD) arrays, target biological entities having a defined size range from other biological entities included in a biological fluid sample. The microfluidic chip further comprises a detection unit that facilitates detecting presence of one or more biomarkers associated with the target biological entities using one or more detection molecules or macromolecules that chemically reacts with the one or more biomarkers.

Biomarker detection using integrated purification-detection devices

Microfluid chips that comprise one or more microscale and/or mesoscale condenser arrays, which can facilitate particle purification and/or fractionation, are described herein. In one embodiment, an apparatus can comprise a layer of a microfluidic chip. The layer can comprise an inlet that can receive fluid, an outlet that can output a purified version of the fluid, and a condenser array coupled between and in fluid communication with the inlet and the outlet. The condenser array can comprise a plurality of pillars arranged in a plurality of columns. Also, a pillar gap sized to facilitate a throughput rate of the fluid of greater than or equal to about 1.0 nanoliter per hour can be located between a first pillar of the plurality of pillars in a first column of the plurality of columns and a second pillar of the plurality of pillars in the first column.

Microfluidic chips for particle purification and fractionation

A structure, apparatus, and method are disclosed. A silicon substrate with a microfluidic system that receives a sample fluid and prepares an analyte solution received by a reservoir containing a sensing surface is electrically connected to a semiconductor device. The structure includes a component for receiving a sample fluid, a component for preparing the sample fluid, a CRISPR system for cleaving a reporter species when the sample fluid contains a target sequence, a sorting component for separating the cleaved reporter species from the sample fluid and the CRISPR products, a cavity for receiving an analyte solution containing the cleaved reporter species, and a sensing surface in the cavity. The sensing surface detects electrical signals induced by reaction events in the analyte solution.

Integrated silicon platform for electronic biosensors

Microscale and/or mesoscale condenser arrays that can facilitate microfluidic separation and/or purification of mesoscale and/or nanoscale particles and methods of operation are described herein. An apparatus comprises a condenser array comprising pillars arranged in a plurality of columns, wherein a pillar gap greater than or equal to about 0.5 micrometers is located between a first pillar of the pillars in a first column of the columns and a second pillar of the plurality of pillars in the first column, and wherein the first pillar is adjacent to the second pillar. The first ratio can be characterized by D/Dis less than or equal to a first defined value, wherein Drepresents a first distance across the lattice in a first direction, wherein Drepresents a second distance across the lattice in a second direction, and wherein the first direction is orthogonal to the second direction.

Microscale and mesoscale condenser devices

A microfluidic device that reads a colloidal mixture and separates the colloids based upon size and shape. and in the case of polymer colloids such as DNA, it reads patterns of markers attached to DNA. The combination of different separated fractions and DNA markers (it mapping) constitutes the physical code.

Growing community of inventors

Mt. Kisco, NY, United States of America

Benjamin H Wunsch