Microfluidic device and method for manufacturing the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10967370-B2
Application number	US-201715719394-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 28, 2017
Priority date	Sep 30, 2016
Publication date	Apr 6, 2021
Grant date	Apr 6, 2021

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a microfluidic device (1) comprising at least one flow channel (21) connecting an inlet opening (22) with an outlet opening (23), and an array of wells (24) in fluid communication with the flow channel (21), wherein the flow channel (21) comprises an inlet portion (211) at the inlet opening (22), an outlet portion (212) at the outlet opening (23), and a middle portion (213) between the inlet portion (211) and the outlet portion (212), wherein at least the middle portion (213) comprises the array of wells (24) and is provided with a hydrophilic surface, and the flow channel (21) further comprises a transition area (214) provided at least between the middle portion (213) and the outlet portion (212), which transition area (214) is constituted by providing a hydrophobic surface. Furthermore, a method for manufacturing such a microfluidic device is also provided.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A microfluidic device comprising:
at least one flow channel connecting an inlet opening with an outlet opening; and
an array of wells in fluid communication with said flow channel;
wherein said flow channel comprises:
an inlet portion comprising a hydrophilic surface at said inlet opening,
an outlet portion at said outlet opening, and
a middle portion between said inlet portion and said outlet portion;

wherein said middle portion comprises a first portion of said array of wells and comprises a hydrophilic surface;
wherein the outlet portion comprises:
a second portion of said array of wells,
a transition area provided between said middle portion and said outlet opening that includes at least a portion of said second portion of said array of wells, which transition area comprises a hydrophobic surface,
a hydrophilic outlet area provided between said transition area and said outlet opening that comprises a hydrophilic surface.

2. The microfluidic device of claim 1 , wherein said transition area comprises a pre-shooter stop for a fluid flowing through said flow channel from said inlet opening to said outlet opening.

3. The microfluidic device of claim 1 , wherein said transition area has an extension extending into said middle portion, wherein the extension comprises a bar or a nose.

4. The microfluidic device of claim 1 , wherein said hydrophobic surface is provided by a hydrophobic coating.

5. The microfluidic device of claim 1 , wherein said hydrophilic surface is provided by a hydrophilic coating.

6. The microfluidic device of claim 5 , wherein said hydrophilic coating has a contact angle of between <10 and <30°.

7. The microfluidic device of claim 5 , wherein said hydrophilic coating comprises a SiO 2 coating.

8. The microfluidic device of claim 5 , wherein said hydrophilic coating is applied by electron beam coating or sputtering.

9. The microfluidic device of claim 1 , wherein the microfluidic device comprises a hydrophobic material selected from one or more of Cyclic Olefin Copolymer (COC) and Cyclic Olephin Polymer (COP).

10. The microfluidic device of claim 1 , wherein said transition area has a width between the size of one to three well openings.

11. The microfluidic device of claim 10 , wherein the transition area has a width between 60 μm and 330 μm.

12. The microfluidic device of claim 1 , wherein the microfluidic device comprises at least a top layer and a bottom layer, said bottom layer provides said flow channel with said inlet and outlet openings, and said array of wells in a surface of said bottom layer, and said top layer comprises a flat component covering said surface of said bottom layer.

13. The microfluidic device of claim 1 , wherein the microfluidic device comprises at least a top layer and a bottom layer, said top layer providing said flow channel with said inlet and outlet openings and said bottom layer providing said array of wells in a surface of said bottom layer.

14. The microfluidic device of claim 1 , wherein the transition area comprises a plurality of pre-shooter stops and at least one or more pre-shooter stops of the plurality of pre-shooter stops are positioned on a lateral side of said middle portion.

15. The microfluidic device of claim 14 wherein at least two or more pre-shooter stops of the plurality of pre-shooter stops are positioned on both lateral sides of said middle portion.

16. The microfluidic device of claim 1 , wherein a width of a well opening of the array of wells is 60 μm≤w≤110 μm.

17. The microfluidic device of claim 1 , wherein the transition area further comprises a projection extending into the middle portion.

18. The microfluidic device of claim 16 , wherein the projection includes a bar shape extending into the middle portion.

19. The microfluidic device of claim 1 , wherein the outlet portion comprises a tapered portion that is tapered relative to the middle portion, and wherein the transition area is provided in the tapered portion.

Assignees

• Roche Molecular Systems Inc

Inventors

• Meier Alexander
• Steinert Chris
• Zeder Michael

Classifications

• B01L2400/088

  by specific surface properties · CPC title

• C23C14/024

  Deposition of sublayers, e.g. to promote adhesion of the coating (C23C14/027 takes precedence) · CPC title

• C23C14/10

  Glass or silica · CPC title

• B01L2300/0864

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

• B01L3/502746

  characterised by the means for controlling flow resistance, e.g. flow controllers, baffles or throttle valves · CPC title