International Business Machines Corporation

Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc.

Bio-Rad Europe Gmbh

David P Taylor

Govind V Kaigala

Robert Dean Lovchik

Ismael Zeaf

Itay Barak

Yochanan Uri

Laurent Guillon

Claudia I Trainito

Marcel Buerge

Emilie Frisan

The present disclosure is notably directed to a microfluidic probe head (), or MFP head, comprising a processing surface () having liquid injection and liquid aspiration apertures, as well as projections () extending from the processing surface (). The arrangement of injection and aspiration apertures provides for a hydrodynamic flow confinement within a processing region that is formed between the processing surface () and a substrate () or sample surface (for example, the bottom of a microtiter plate sample well ()), typically located beneath the processing surface (). The disclosure is further directed to related microfluidic probe devices, and methods of operation of such an MFP head, notably to deposit cells on a surface.

Microfluidic probe head with aspiration posts

The present disclosure is notably directed to a microfluidic probe head, or MFP head, comprising a processing surface having a liquid injection aperture and a liquid aspiration aperture thereon. The aspiration aperture is generally shaped so as to partly extend around the injection aperture on the processing surface, although such injection apertures are not completely surrounded by the slit on the processing surface. Further, fluidic and solid barriers to aspiration are considered. The disclosure is further directed to related microfluidic probe devices, and methods of operation of such an MFP head, notably to deposit cells on a surface.

Microfluidic probe head with barrier projections

A microfluidic probe includes a probe head with a processing surface that includes a first aperture and a second aperture. The probe further includes a liquid injection channel, which leads to the first aperture, and a liquid aspiration channel, which extends from the second aperture. The probe also includes a bypass channel, arranged so as to fluidly connect the liquid injection channel to the liquid aspiration channel, as well as a control channel. The latter fluidly connects to the bypass channel, hence forming a junction therewith, so as to define two portions of the bypass channel. These portions includes: a first portion that extends from the junction to the liquid injection channel; and a second portion that extends from that same junction to the liquid aspiration channel. The invention is further directed to methods of operation of a probe as described above, to process a surface.

Microfluidic probe with bypass and control channels

One or more embodiments of the present invention are directed to a method for processing a surface with a vertical microfluidic probe head. The method includes positioning the microfluidic probe head so as for the edge surface to face a surface to be processed. Next, the method dispenses processing liquid via each orifice of the first one of the sets of n orifices, so as for the dispensed processing liquid to process the surface; and aspirates liquid via each orifice of the second one of the sets of n orifices.

Vertical microfluidic probe head with large scale surface processing apertures

One or more embodiments of the present invention are directed to a vertical microfluidic probe head, which comprises a middle layer of material and two outer layers. The middle layer comprises two opposite, main surfaces, which are, each, grooved up to a same edge surface that adjoins each of the main surfaces, so as to form two sets of n microchannel cavities, n&#x2265;1, on each of the opposite main surfaces. The middle layer is furthermore arranged between the two outer layers, which (at least partly) close the microchannel cavities grooved on the two main surfaces. This way, two sets of n microchannels are formed, which are, each, open on the edge surface, such that two opposite sets of n orifices are formed on the edge surface. Thus, the length of the apertures is not limited by the thickness of the middle layer.

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Thalwil, Switzerland

David P Taylor