California Institute of Technology

City of Hope

City of Hope National Medical Center and Beckman Research Institute

Terry D Lee

Yu-Chong Tai

Jun Xie

Amish Desai

Damien Craig Rodger

Changlin Pang

Xuan-Qi Wang

Matthieu Liger

Qing He

Lawrence Licklider

Jason Shih

Yunan Miao

Mike Davis

Embodiments in accordance with the present invention relate to packed-column nano-liquid chromatography (nano-LC) systems integrated on-chip, and methods for producing and using same. The microfabricated chip includes a column, flits/filters, an injector, and a detector, fabricated in a process compatible with those conventionally utilized to form integrated circuits. The column can be packed with supports for various different stationary phases to allow performance of different forms of nano-LC, including but not limited to reversed-phase, normal-phase, adsorption, size-exclusion, affinity, and ion chromatography. A cross-channel injector injects a nanoliter/picoliter-volume sample plug at the column inlet. An electrochemical/conductivity sensor integrated at the column outlet measures separation signals. A self-aligned channel-strengthening technique increases pressure rating of the microfluidic system, allowing it to withstand the high pressure normally used in high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). On-chip sample injection, separation, and detection of mixture of anions in water is successfully demonstrated using ion-exchange nano-LC.

IC-processed polymer nano-liquid chromatography system on-a-chip and method of making it

Embodiments in accordance with the present invention relate to packed-column nano-liquid chromatography (nano-LC) systems integrated on-chip, and methods for producing and using same. The microfabricated chip includes a column, flits/filters, an injector, and a detector, fabricated in a process compatible with those conventionally utilized to form integrated circuits. The column can be packed with supports for various different stationary phases to allow performance of different forms of nano-LC, including but not limited to reversed-phase, normal-phase, adsorption, size-exclusion, affinity, and ion chromatography. A cross-channel injector injects a nanolitre/picolitre-volume sample plug at the column inlet. An electrochemical/conductivity sensor integrated at the column outlet measures separation signals. A self-aligned channel-strengthening technique increases pressure rating of the microfluidic system, allowing it to withstand the high pressure normally used in high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). On-chip sample injection, separation, and detection of mixture of anions in water is successfully demonstrated using ion-exchange nano-LC.

IC-processed polymer nano-liquid chromatoraphy system on-a-chip and method of making it

A microfluidic system with on-chip pumping which can be used for liquid chromatography and also electrospray ionization mass spectrometry and which provides improved efficiency, better integration with sensors, improved portability, reduced power consumption, and reduced cost. The system can include (A) a main chip comprising: a substrate having a front face and a back face; a chromatography column on the front face of said substrate, wherein said column has an inlet and an outlet; an electrospray ionization (ESI) nozzle on the front face of said substrate, wherein said nozzle has an inlet and an outlet, and wherein the inlet of the nozzle is microfluidically coupled to the outlet of the column; one or more pump systems on the front face of said substrate comprising a pump chamber, one or more electrodes, and an outlet microfluidically coupled to the inlet of said column; and (B) a reservoir chip comprising a front surface and a back surface, wherein the reservoir chip has one or more cavities in the back surface which when disposed next to the front surface of the main chip extends the volume of the pump chamber of one of the pump system. Microfabrication can be used to prepare the chips, which can be assembled with a cover and inserted into a testing jig for electronic control and mass spectral analysis. Peptide separations are demonstrated which compete with present commercial systems.

Integrated LC-ESI on a chip

A MEMS device with an overhanging 'polymer' capillary provides vital and significant improvements in interfacing a MEMS electrospray nozzle to an MS inlet or other macroscopic instrumentation. The fabrication methodology associated therewith is easily expanded to include built-in micro particle filters and centimeter long serpentine micro channels provided on-chip and fabricated using a low temperature process.

Polymer based electrospray nozzle for mass spectrometry

An apparatus for MEMS electrospray nozzle for mass spectroscopy formed with top and bottom of SiN, and a between layer of material. The material between the top and bottom forms a filter and also reduces the amount of dead space in the nozzle.

MEMS electrospray nozzle for mass spectroscopy

Growing community of inventors

San Dimas, CA, United States of America

Terry D Lee