Laser particle separation and characterization with angled laser light to maximize residence time

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10730050-B2
Application number	US-201815987035-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 23, 2018
Priority date	Oct 3, 2012
Publication date	Aug 4, 2020
Grant date	Aug 4, 2020

Abstract

The combined value of integrating optical forces and electrokinetics allows for the pooled separation vectors of each to be applied, providing for separation based on combinations of features such as size, shape, refractive index, charge, charge distribution, charge mobility, permittivity, and deformability. The interplay of these separation vectors allow for the selective manipulation of analytes with a finer degree of variation. Embodiments include methods of method of separating particles in a microfluidic channel using a device comprising a microfluidic channel, a source of laser light focused by an optic into the microfluidic channel, and a source of electrical field operationally connected to the microfluidic channel via electrodes so that the laser light and the electrical field to act jointly on the particles in the microfluidic channel. Other devices and methods are disclosed.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of separating particles in a microfluidic channel, the method comprising:
providing a device comprising a microfluidic channel comprising an inlet and a plurality of exits, and a source of laser light focused by an optic to cross the microfluidic channel at an angle;
flowing a plurality of particles in a liquid through the inlet into the microfluidic channel; and
selecting the angle of the laser light so as to produce an optical force directly on the particles while maximizing residence time in the laser light of selected particles, thus selectively separating particles from molecular species and into one or more of the plurality of exits.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said flowing is electroosmotic flow.

Assignees

• Us Gov Sec Navy

Inventors

• Hart Sean J
• Staton Sarah J R
• Terray Alexander V
• Collins Gregory E

Classifications

• B01L2400/0424

  Dielectrophoretic forces · CPC title

• B01L3/502761 Primary

  specially adapted for handling suspended solids or molecules independently from the bulk fluid flow, e.g. for trapping or sorting beads or physically stretching molecules · CPC title

• B01L2300/0864

  comprising only one inlet and multiple receiving wells, e.g. for separation, splitting · CPC title

• B01L2400/0454

  radiation pressure, optical tweezers · CPC title

• B01L2400/0487

  fluid pressure, pneumatics · CPC title