Abstract:
Methods for manufacturing a microstructure, wherein use is made of powder blasting and/or etching and a single mask layer with openings and structures of varying dimensions, characterized in that the mask layer at least at one given point in time has been wholly worn away within at least one region by mask erosion while the microstructure is not yet wholly realized. Use can be made of a combination of 'vertical' erosion, i.e. parallel to the thickness direction, and 'horizontal' erosion, i.e. perpendicularly of the thickness direction, of the mask layer. The horizontal mask erosion occurs at the edges of the mask structure. By selecting the size of the mask openings and the mask structures in a correct manner the mask layer in a region with smaller mask structures will be fully worn away at a given point in time, while in another region with larger structures the mask layer still has sufficient thickness to serve as protection against the powder blasting or etching.
Abstract:
The present invention relates to a method for dividing a substrate into a number of individual chip parts, comprising the steps of: forming a number of chip parts in the substrate, comprising, for each chip part, of arranging recesses in the substrate for containing fluid; arranging one or more breaking grooves in the substrate along individual chip parts; applying mechanical force to the substrate to break the substrate along the breaking grooves. The invention also relates to a substrate as well as a chip part.
Abstract:
The invention relates to a channel for trapping particles to be fed to said channel with a fluid, said channel having a bottom and opposite sidewalls, the sidewalls defining a width of the channel, said channel further comprising: - a first channel part; - a second channel part in fluid through flow connection with said first channel part and downstream of said first channel part; - an elevated structure provided in said channel that divides said channel in said first channel part and said second channel part and for trapping particles in said first channel part; - at least one flow gap provided by said elevated structure for providing said fluid through flow connection between the first channel part and the second channel part for allowing, in use, at least some fluid to flow past said elevated structure into said second channel part while trapping said particles in said first channel part; wherein said elevated structure is substantially U-shaped and has a base extending substantially between the opposite sidewalls of the channel and two legs extending from the base in an upstream direction, wherein at least part of said U-shaped elevated structure defines at least part of a particle trapping area for trapping the particles to be fed to said channel. The invention further relates to a flow cell comprising such a channel. The invention also relates to an assembly comprising such a flow cell and a detection means. The invention also relates to a method for trapping particles in such a channel. And finally, the invention relates to a method for analyzing a sample using such an assembly.
Abstract:
The invention relates to a method for manufacturing microfluidic chips having at least one capillary for through-flow of a fluid, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a starting material; (b) forming at least one shared capillary in the starting material, said shared capillary comprising an fluidic inlet and an fluidic outlet; (c) functionalizing the chips by supplying a functionalization fluid to the shared capillary; and (d) dividing the starting material into separate chips. The invention further relates to a device for functionalizing microfluidic chips having at least one capillary for through-flow of a fluid, said device comprising a material holder for holding a starting material in a fixed position during functionalization, said material holder comprising at least one inlet connector for connecting at least one shared capillary formed in the starting material to a functionalization fluid supply. The invention further relates to a microfluidic chip and a device for holding a microfluidic chip.
Abstract:
The present invention relates to a method for dividing a substrate into a number of individual chip parts, comprising the steps of: forming a number of chip parts in the substrate, comprising, for each chip part, of arranging recesses in the substrate for containing fluid; arranging one or more breaking grooves in the substrate along individual chip parts; applying mechanical force to the substrate to break the substrate along the breaking grooves;
wherein the steps of arranging recesses in the substrate and arranging breaking grooves in the substrate are performed substantially simultaneously, wherein the substrate comprises a first and a second substrate part, and the method comprises the steps of: a) arranging in the first substrate part at least one recess for containing fluid; b) arranging in the second substrate part passages to the recess in the first substrate part, wherein a first passage forms a fluid feed and a second passage forms a fluid discharge; c) arranging one or more breaking grooves in at least one of the substrate parts; d) placing the second substrate part on the first substrate part; e) breaking the substrate along the breaking grooves.
Abstract:
The invention relates to a method for manufacturing and testing microfluidic chips having at least one capillary for through-flow of a fluid. The method comprises the following steps: - providing a starting material; - forming at least one shared capillary in the starting material; - arranging a plurality of functional elements in or over the shared capillary, thus forming a plurality of chips; - testing the chips by supplying a test fluid to the shared capillary; and - dividing the starting material into separate chips. The invention further relates to a device for testing microfluidic chips having at least one capillary for through-flow of a fluid. This device comprises a material holder for holding a starting material in a fixed position during testing, and an inlet connector for connecting a shared capillary formed in the starting material to a test fluid supply.
Abstract:
The invention relates to a method for manufacturing and testing microfluidic chips having at least one capillary for through-flow of a fluid. The method comprises the following steps: - providing a starting material; - forming at least one shared capillary in the starting material; - arranging a plurality of functional elements in or over the shared capillary, thus forming a plurality of chips; - testing the chips by supplying a test fluid to the shared capillary; and - dividing the starting material into separate chips. The invention further relates to a device for testing microfluidic chips having at least one capillary for through-flow of a fluid. This device comprises a material holder for holding a starting material in a fixed position during testing, and an inlet connector for connecting a shared capillary formed in the starting material to a test fluid supply.
Abstract:
The present invention relates to a method of fabricating a microfluidic device including at least two substrates provided with a fluid channel, comprising the steps of: a) etching at least a channel and one or more fluid ports in a first and/or a second substrate; b) depositing a first layer on a surface of the second substrate; c) partially removing the first layer in accordance with a predefined geometry; d) depositing a second layer on top of the first layer and the substrate surface; e) planarizing the second layer so as to smooth the upper surface thereof; f) aligning the first and second substrate; g) bonding the first substrate on the planarized second layer of the second substrate.
Abstract:
The invention relates to method for bonding at least two substrates, for example made from glass, silicon or ceramic, by using an intermediate thin film metal layer for providing the bonding, said method comprising the following steps of: a) providing said two substrates; b) depositing said thin film metal layer on at least a part of a surface of a first substrate of the two substrates; c) bringing a surface of the second substrate into contact with said thin film metal layer on said surface of the first substrate such that a bonding between the second substrate and the thin film metal layer on the first substrate is provided; and d) at least locally strengthening the bonding between the second substrate and the thin film metal layer on the first substrate. The invention also relates to a device comprising two substrates, for example made from glass, silicon or ceramic, and an intermediate thin film metal layer.