Microfluidic chip, apparatus, system, and control and preparation method therefor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11433392-B2
Application number	US-202016903415-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 17, 2020
Priority date	Dec 29, 2017
Publication date	Sep 6, 2022
Grant date	Sep 6, 2022

Abstract

A microfluidic chip (100), an apparatus, a system, and a control and preparation method therefor. The method comprises: a substrate (101), and an electrode layer (102) and a functional layer (103) sequentially formed on the substrate (101), said electrode layer (102) comprising a plurality of electrode groups (1021) arranged in an array, the electrode groups (1021) being used for converting electrical signals into acoustic signals when an electrode group is activated, and transmitting the acoustic signals to the functional layer (103); and the functional layer (103) being used for carrying a sample to be tested, and for absorbing the acoustic wave signals emitted by the activated electrode group (1021) and converting same into thermal energy for heating the sample to be tested that is carried at the position corresponding to the activated electrode group (1021).

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A microfluidic chip, comprising: a substrate, and an electrode layer and a functional layer sequentially formed on the substrate, wherein the electrode layer comprises multiple electrode groups arranged in an array;
the multiple electrode groups are configured to: when being activated, convert an electrical signal into an acoustic signal, and transmit the acoustic signal to the functional layer; and
the functional layer is configured to: carry a sample to be tested; absorb the acoustic signal emitted by the activated electrode group and convert the acoustic signal into thermal energy; and heat the sample to be tested that is carried at a position corresponding to the activated electrode group;
wherein each electrode group comprises two interdigital electrodes arranged in interdigital fingers, interdigital widths of the two interdigital electrodes of the same electrode group are equal, gaps between adjacent interdigital fingers are equal, and the interdigital width is equal to the gap; and
among the multiple electrode groups arranged in an array, interdigital widths of interdigital electrodes in the same column of electrode groups change progressively in a column direction, and interdigital widths of interdigital electrodes in the same row of electrode groups change progressively in a row direction.

2. The microfluidic chip of claim 1 , wherein the functional layer comprises a first functional layer and a second functional layer, the first functional layer is located above the electrode layer and is bonded to the substrate, the second functional layer is located above the first functional layer, and a channel for carrying the sample to be tested is disposed between the first functional layer and the second functional layer.

3. The microfluidic chip of claim 1 , wherein the functional layer is made from polydimethylsiloxane.

4. The microfluidic chip of claim 1 , wherein the substrate is made from any material from lithium niobate, zinc oxide, or aluminum oxide.

5. The microfluidic chip of claim 4 , wherein the substrate is made from 128° YX double-sided polished lithium niobate.

6. A microfluidic system, comprising the microfluidic chip of claim 1 , a controller and a signal generator, wherein the controller is connected to the signal generator;
the controller is configured to control the signal generator to generate an electrical signal based on a set frequency; and
the signal generator is configured to transmit the generated electrical signal to an electrode group for activation when connected to the electrode group, so that the activated electrode group generates an acoustic signal.

7. The microfluidic system of claim 6 , wherein electrode group comprises two interdigital electrodes arranged in interdigital fingers, interdigital widths of the two interdigital electrodes of the same electrode group are equal, gaps between adjacent interdigital fingers are equal, and the interdigital width is equal to the gap.

8. The microfluidic system of claim 7 , wherein interdigital electrodes of each of the multiple electrode groups arranged in an array have equal interdigital widths.

9. The microfluidic system of claim 7 , wherein among the multiple electrode groups arranged in an array, interdigital widths of interdigital electrodes in the same column of electrode groups change progressively in a column direction, and interdigital widths of interdigital electrodes in the same row of electrode groups change progressively in a row direction.

10. The microfluidic system of claim 6 , wherein the functional layer comprises a first functional layer and a second functional layer, the first functional layer is located above the electrode layer and is bonded to the substrate, the second functional layer is located above the first functional layer, and a channel for carrying the sample to be tested is disposed between the first functional layer and the second functional layer.

11. The microfluidic system of claim 6 , wherein the functional layer is made from polydimethylsiloxane.

12. The microfluidic system of claim 6 , wherein the system further comprises a frequency divider, wherein the frequency divider comprises a signal input interface and multiple signal output interfaces, the frequency divider is connected to the signal generator through the signal input interface, and the multiple signal output interfaces are configured to connect to different electrode groups respectively; and
the frequency divider is configured to divide the electrical signal generated by the signal generator into electrical signals of different frequencies, and when connected to different electrode groups, transmit the electrical signals of different frequencies through the signal output interfaces to the electrode groups for activation.

13. A microfluidic chip control method, wherein the method is used to control the microfluidic system of claim 6 , and comprises:
providing the microfluidic system of claim 6 ;
controlling, by the controller, the signal generator to generate an electrical signal based on a set frequency; and
transmitting, by the signal generator when connected to the electrode group, the generated electrical signal to the electrode group for activation, so that the activated electrode group generates an acoustic signal.

14. The microfluidic chip control method of claim 13 , wherein the method further comprises:
transmitting, by the signal generator, the electrical signal to the frequency divider; and
dividing, by the frequency divider when connected to an electrode group, the electrical signal into electrical signals of different frequencies, and transmitting the electrical signals to the electrode group for activation.

15. A microfluidic chip preparation method, wherein the method is used to prepare the microfluidic chip of claim 1 , the method comprising:
forming a photoresist layer on the substrate;
performing photoetching on the photoresist layer to form a set pattern arranged in an array on the substrate;
performing sputtering on the substrate corresponding to the pattern to form an electrode layer, wherein the formed electrode layer comprises multiple electrode groups arranged in an array, wherein each electrode group comprises two interdigital electrodes arranged in interdigital fingers, interdigital widths of the two interdigital electrodes of the same electrode group are equal, gaps between adjacent interdigital fingers are equal, and the interdigital width is equal to the gap, and among the multiple electrode groups arranged in an array, interdigital widths of interdigital electrodes in the same column of electrode groups change progressively in a column direction, and interdigital widths of interdigital electrodes in the same row of electrode groups change progressively in a row direction, so that the electrode group converts an electrical signal into an acoustic signal when activated, and transmits the acoustic signal to the functional layer; and
forming the functional layer on the electrode layer, so that the functional layer carries a sample to be tested, absorbs the acoustic signal emitted by the activated electrode group and converts the acoustic signal into thermal energy, and heats the sample to be tested that is carried at a position corresponding to the activated electrode group.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the performing photoetching on the photoresist layer to form a set pattern arranged in an array on the substrate comprises:
laying a mask on the photoresist layer for exposure, wherein the mask is the set pattern arranged in an array; and
developing and dis

Assignees

• Shenzhen Inst Adv Tech

Inventors

• Meng Long
• Zheng Hairong
• Wang Kaiyue
• Zhou Wei
• Niu Lili
• Huang Xiaowei

Classifications

• B01L3/502707 Primary

  characterised by the manufacture of the container or its components · CPC title

• B01L2300/1805

  Conductive heating, heat from thermostatted solids is conducted to receptacles, e.g. heating plates, blocks · CPC title

• B01L3/50851

  specially adapted for heating or cooling samples · CPC title

• B01L2300/18

  Means for temperature control · CPC title

• B01L3/5027 Primary

  by integrated microfluidic structures, i.e. dimensions of channels and chambers are such that surface tension forces are important, e.g. lab-on-a-chip · CPC title