Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Manu Prakash

Neil Adam Gershenfeld

Yael Gregory Maguire

Shuguang Zhang

Brian Yichiun Chow

Andreas Mershin

David Kong

Brian Cook

Liselotte Kaiser

Jaebum Joo

Johanna F Graveland-Bikker

Fluid-based no-moving part logic devices are constructed from complex sequences of micro- and nanofluidic channels, on-demand bubble/droplet modulators and generators for programming the devices, and micro- and nanofluidic droplet/bubble memory elements for storage and retrieval of biological or chemical elements. The input sequence of bubbles/droplets encodes information, with the output being another sequence of bubbles/droplets or on-chip chemical synthesis. For performing a set of reactions/tasks or process control, the modulators can be used to program the device by producing a precisely timed sequence of bubbles/droplets, resulting in a cascade of logic operations within the micro- or nanofluidic channel sequence, utilizing the generated droplets/bubbles as a control. The devices are based on the principle of minimum energy interfaces formed between the two fluid phases enclosed inside precise channel geometries. Various devices, including logic gates, non-volatile bistable memory, ring oscillators, bubble synchronizers, analysis chips, sample collectors, and printers have been designed.

Microfluidic bubble logic devices

The invention provides a bio-sensing nanodevice comprising: a stabilized biologically-derived G-protein coupled receptor&#x2014;the olfactory receptor&#x2014;on a support, a real time receptor-ligand binding detection method, an odorant delivery system and an odorant recognition program. The biologically-derived G-protein coupled receptor can be stabilized on nanotechnology using surfactant peptide. The said nanodevice provides a greater surface area for better precision and sensitivity to odorant detection. The invention further provides a microfluidic chip containing a stabilized biologically-derived G-protein coupled receptor&#x2014;the olfactory receptor&#x2014;immobilized on a support, and arranged in at least two dimensional microarray system. The invention also provides a method of delivering odorant comprising the step of manipulating the bubbles in complex microfluidic networks wherein the bubbles travel in a microfluidic channel carrying a variety of gas samples to a precise location on a chip. The invention further provides method of fabricating hOR17-4 olfactory receptor.

Bio-sensing nanodevice

Fluid-based no-moving part logic devices are constructed from complex sequences of micro- and nanofluidic channels, on-demand bubble/droplet modulators and generators for programming the devices, and micro- and nanofluidic droplet/bubble memory elements for storage and retrieval of biological or chemical elements. The input sequence of bubbles/droplets encodes information, with the output being another sequence of bubbles/droplets or on-chip chemical synthesis. For performing a set of reactions/tasks or process control, the modulators can be used to program the device by producing a precisely timed sequence of bubbles/droplets, resulting in a cascade of logic operations within the micro- or nanofluidic channel sequence, utilizing the generated droplets/bubbles as a control. The devices are based on the principle of minimum energy interfaces formed between the two fluid phases enclosed inside precise channel geometries. Various devices, including logic gates, non-volatile bistable memory, ring oscillators, bubble synchronizers, analysis chips, and printers have been designed.

A method for implementing a logic operation employs an all fluid-based no-moving part micro-mechanical logic family of microfluidic bubble logic devices that are constructed from complex sequences of microfluidic channels, microfluidic bubble modulators for programming the devices, and microfluidic droplet/bubble memory elements for chemical storage and retrieval. The input is a sequence of bubbles/droplets encoding information, with the output being another sequence of bubbles/droplets. For performing a set of reactions/tasks, the modulators program the device by producing a precisely timed sequence of bubbles/droplets, resulting in a cascade of logic operations within the microfluidic channel sequence, utilizing the generated bubbles as a control. The devices are based on the principle of minimum energy interfaces formed between the two fluid phases enclosed inside precise channel geometries. Various devices, including logic gates, non-volatile bistable memory, shift registers, multiplexers, and ring oscillators have been designed and fabricated.

Microfluidic bubble logic devices and methods

In exemplary implementations of this invention, hydrothermal synthesis of zinc oxide nanowires is morphologically controlled. Metal complex ions are used to suppress growth in a face-selective manner, by electrostatic crystal growth inhibition. This permits the aspect ratio (height/diameter) of the nanowires to be dynamically tuned over a wide range, from needle-like nanowires that are efficient field emitters to flattened nanowires with a platelet-like shape. The nanowire synthesis is all inorganic and occurs at low temperatures (e.g., &#x3c;=60&#xb0; C.). The growth inhibition may be predictively modeled, using speciation plots and treating non-zinc complex ions as ligands. Microfluidic channels may be used for the synthesis, with different solutions flowing down different channels, permitting nanowires with different properties to be synthesized in parallel. This invention may be used to produce field emission devices and nanowire-embedded AC electroluminescent devices, and for in-situ fabrication of spatially complex integrated devices in a polymeric microfluidic system.

Methods and apparatus for control of hydrothermal nanowire synthesis

An all fluid-based no-moving part micro-mechanical logic family of microfluidic bubble logic devices is constructed from complex sequences of microfluidic channels, microfluidic bubble modulators for programming the devices, and microfluidic droplet/bubble memory elements for chemical storage and retrieval. The input is a sequence of bubbles/droplets encoding information, with the output being another sequence of bubbles/droplets. For performing a set of reactions/tasks, the modulators program the device by producing a precisely timed sequence of bubbles/droplets, resulting in a cascade of logic operations within the microfluidic channel sequence, utilizing the generated bubbles as a control. The devices are based on the principle of minimum energy interfaces formed between the two fluid phases enclosed inside precise channel geometries. Various devices, including logic gates, non-volatile bistable memory, shift registers, multiplexers, and ring oscillators have been designed and fabricated.

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Cambridge, MA, United States of America

Manu Prakash