Imec Vzw

Midiagnostics Nv

Panasonic Corporation

Imec

Katholieke Universiteit Leuven

Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Ku Leuven R&d

Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, K.u. Leuven Research & Development

Benjamin Jones

Paolo Fiorini

Peter Peumans

Ahmed Taher

Hiroyuki Tanaka

Tim Stakenborg

Nicolas Vergauwe

Liesbet Lagae

Simone Severi

Chengxun Liu

Maki Hiraoka

Chengjun Huang

Aurelie Humbert

David Mikaelian

Giuseppe Fiorentino

Claus Marquordt

Remus Brix Anders Haupt

Ujjal Barman

Sophie Roth

A method for fabricating a microfluidic device includes providing an assembly that includes a first silicon substrate having a hydrophilic silicon oxide top surface that includes a microfluidic channel and a second silicon substrate having a hydrophilic silicon oxide bottom surface directly bonded on the top surface of the first silicon substrate, the second silicon substrate including fluidic access holes giving fluidic access to the microfluidic channel. The method also includes exposing the assembly to oxidative species including one or more oxygen atoms and to heat so as to form silicon oxide at a surface of the access holes and of the microfluidic channel.

Method for fabricating a microfluidic device

A flow control system for a microfluidic device includes: a plurality of fluid flow controllers, each fluid flow controller associated with a respective microfluidic device inlet of the microfluidic device, and wherein each fluid flow controller includes: a controller inlet for receiving a fluid flow, a first fluid channel and a second fluid channel, each of the first and the second fluid channels having a first end connected to the controller inlet and a second end connected to a supply channel, and a valve for selecting the fluid flow to be passed from the controller inlet to the first fluid channel or to the second fluid channel, wherein the first fluid channel has a first flow resistance that smaller than a second flow resistance of the second fluid channel.

Flow control system for a microfluidic device, microreactor system, DNA synthesis device, and method for controlling a sequence of reactions

A microfluidic device () comprises: a reaction chamber (); at least a first and a second supply channel () for allowing transport of a first fluid and a second fluid, respectively, from a fluid supply source () into the reaction chamber (), wherein each of the first and the second supply channels () comprises a side drain () connected to the supply channel () between the fluid supply source () and the reaction chamber (), wherein the side drain () is configured to prevent undesired diffusion of the fluid in the supply channel () into the reaction chamber (); at least a first and a second outlet () connected to the reaction chamber () for allowing transport of fluid from the reaction chamber (), wherein the first and second outlets () have different dimensions to provide different hydraulic resistance.

Microfluidic device

The present invention provides a micro-reactor () adapted to host chemical reactions having at least one microfluidic layer, said micro-reactor () comprising a fluid inlet () and a fluid outlet (); a plurality of micro-reaction chambers () arranged in rows () and columns (), each micro-reaction chamber comprising a chamber inlet () and a chamber outlet (); a plurality of supply channels () for supplying fluid to from said fluid inlet () to said micro-reaction chambers () and further arranged for draining said micro-reaction chambers () to said fluid outlet (), said supply channels () extending in a first direction (D) along the columns () of micro-reaction chambers () and arranged such that there is one supply channel () between adjacent columns (). The micro-reaction chambers () in the columns () are arranged such that the chamber inlets () of a column are in fluid contact with the same supply channel () and the chamber outlets () are in fluid contact with the supply channel () adjacent to the supply channel () arranged in fluidic contact with the chamber inlets (). Further, the plurality of supply channels () comprises a first end supply channel () arranged for supplying fluid to a first end column () of the micro-reaction chambers () and a second end supply channel () arranged for draining fluid from the second, opposite, end column () of said micro-reaction chambers (); and wherein the micro-reactor () further comprises at least one reagent inlet () in fluid contact with the first end supply channeland a reagent outlet () in fluid contact with the second end supply channel such that reagents introduced to the at least one reagent inlet () fill the plurality of micro-reaction chambers () in a second direction (D) along the rows () of micro-reaction chambers () to the reagent outlet ().

Addressable micro-reaction chamber array

A fluidic device () is described for locally coating an inner surface of a fluidic channel. The fluidic device () comprises a first (), a second () and a third () fluidic channel intersecting at a common junction (). The first fluidic channel is connectable to a coating fluid reservoir and the third fluidic channel is connectable to a sample fluid reservoir. The fluidic device () further comprises a fluid control means () configured for creating a fluidic flow path for a coating fluid at the common junction () such that, when coating, a coating fluid propagates from the first () to the second () fluidic channel via the common junction () without propagating into the third () fluidic channel. A corresponding method for coating and for sensing also has been disclosed.

Device for surface functionalization and detection

The disclosure relates to an arrangement () in a capillary driven fluid system for metering a predetermined volume of sample fluid. The arrangement comprises a sample reservoir (SR) arranged to receive a sample fluid, a first channel (C) which is in fluid communication with the sample reservoir (SR) and which branches off into a second channel (C) ending at a first valve (V) and a third channel (C) ending at a second valve (V). The second channel (C) and the third channel (C) together have a predetermined volume, and the first channel (C) is arranged to draw sample fluid from the sample reservoir (SR) by use of capillary forces to fill the second channel (C) and the third channel (C) with the predetermined volume of sample fluid. By selectively opening the first valve (V) and the second valve (V), a capillary driven flow may be formed, thereby causing the predetermined volume of sample fluid to flow out through the first valve (V).

Metering arrangement in a capillary driven fluid system and method for the same

There is provided a microfluidic device for reversing a flow through a microfluidic channel. The microfluidic device comprises a first microfluidic channel extending between a first inlet and a first outlet, a second microfluidic channel which fluidically connects a first point of the first microfluidic channel to a second outlet via a first valve, a third microfluidic channel which fluidically connects a second point of the first microfluidic channel to a second inlet via a second valve, the second point being located between the first point and the first outlet, and at least one circuit for opening the first valve and the second valve. The first and the second valves are arranged to be initially closed, Upon opening of the first and the second valve during use, the flow direction through the first microfluidic channel between the first point and the second point is reversed.

Microfluidic device, system, and method for reversing a flow through a microfluidic channel

There is provided a connecting interface for fluidically interconnecting microfluidic channels. The connecting interface comprises one or more substrates which collectively define a first microfluidic channel which includes a connecting region for fluidically connecting the first microfluidic channel to a second microfluidic channel. The connecting interface further comprises at least one slit in an outer surface of one of the one or more substrates, wherein the at least one slit provides a fluid passage from the outer surface to the connecting region of the first microfluidic channel, and the at least one slit has at least one dimension extending beyond the connecting region along a direction parallel to the outer surface.

Microfluidic connection and a connecting interface for fluidically interconnecting microfluidic channels

Described herein are sample loading systems for loading a sample into a processing and/or analysis system comprising: a sample reservoir for receiving a sample and a metering volume reservoir, the sample reservoir and a first side of the metering volume reservoir being interconnected through a first channel with a first flow resistance to allow filling of the metering volume reservoir with sample; a further reservoir for receiving a second fluid interconnected with the metering volume reservoir at the first side via a second channel having a smaller second flow resistance; a first valve for blocking flow of sample from the metering volume reservoir into the second channel; a second valve connected to a second side of the metering volume reservoir for controlling the blocking and flowing of sample; and a first timing circuitry for timing the opening of the second valve as a function of filling of the further reservoir.

Sample loading

A microfluidic device comprising a plurality of microreactors is provided. Each microreactor includes at least a first inlet and a second inlet for supplying a first fluid and a second fluid, respectively, to said microreactor and at least one waste channel for draining fluid from said microreactor. The device further comprises a shared first microfluidic supply system for supplying a first fluid to the first inlets of the plurality of microreactors, a shared second microfluidic supply system for supplying a second fluid to the second inlets of the plurality of microreactors. At least one of said inlets to each microreactor comprises at least one valve-less fluidic resistance element having a fluidic resistance that is substantially larger than the fluidic resistance of the corresponding shared microfluidic supply system. A chemical reaction sequencer apparatus including the microfluidic device and a method for supplying reagents to a plurality of microreactors are also provided.

Microfluidic distribution scheme

The disclosure relates to an arrangement (') in a capillary driven fluidic system for preventing wicking of a fluid along an edge () between a first substrate (&#x2032;) and a second substrate (&#x2032;), said arrangement comprising: a first substrate (&#x2032;) including a microfluidic channel () arranged to house the fluid, a second substrate (&#x2032;) arranged to cover a portion of the first substrate (&#x2032;), wherein the microfluidic channel () of the first substrate (&#x2032;) meets the second structure (&#x2032;) at a position () along an edge () defined between the first (&#x2032;) and second (&#x2032;) substrates, wherein the first and the second substrate collectively define a trench () for stopping wicking of the fluid along the edge (), said trench () being arranged in at least one of the first substrate (&#x2032;) and the second substrate (&#x2032;), and located at a distance from said position () along the edge () and intersecting the edge ().

Arrangement in a capillary driven fluidic system and a diagnostic device comprising the arrangement

A fluidic device is described for locally coating an inner surface of a fluidic channel. The fluidic device comprises a first, a second and a third fluidic channel intersecting at a common junction. The first fluidic channel is connectable to a coating fluid reservoir and the third fluidic channel is connectable to a sample fluid reservoir. The fluidic device further comprises a fluid control means configured for creating a fluidic flow path for a coating fluid at the common junction such that, when coating, a coating fluid propagates from the first to the second fluidic channel via the common junction without propagating into the third fluidic channel. A corresponding method for coating and for sensing also has been disclosed.

Example embodiments relate to fast sample loading microfluidic reactors and systems. One embodiment includes a microfluidic device. The microfluidic device includes a reaction chamber allowing reacting of at least one fluid material. The microfluidic device also includes at least two fluidic channels coupled to the reaction chamber for providing a fluid to and exiting a fluid from, respectively, the reaction chamber. Each fluidic channel includes an inlet and an outlet. Each fluidic channel is configured such that when a first fluid is provided in the reaction chamber via that fluidic channel, the first fluid exits the reaction chamber via the outlet of at least one other fluidic channel when the reaction chamber is filled, thereby preventing a second fluid from the at least one other fluidic channel, when present in the inlet, from diffusing into the reaction chamber.

Fast sample loading microfluidic reactor and system

A microfluidic device for electrically activating a passive capillary stop valve, an apparatus and method are provided. The microfluidic device includes a first channel for containing a first fluid, and an output channel, wherein the first channel comprises a first interface with the output channel, and the first interface comprises a capillary stop valve characterised in that the microfluidic device also comprises a second channel for containing a second fluid, wherein the second channel comprises a second interface with the output channel, and the first channel and the second channel are electrically isolated from each other, and the first interface and the second interface are arranged relative to each other thereby being configured to activate fluid flow from the first channel into the output channel when a first fluid and a second fluid are present, and an electrical potential difference is applied between the first fluid and the second fluid.

Growing community of inventors

Leuven, Belgium

Benjamin Jones