# US 12,005,439 B2 · Microfluidic device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,005,439 B2 - Document ID: US12005439B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/833,247 - Filed: 2020-03-27 - Published: 2020-10-01 - Granted: 2024-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2019-03-29 - Assignees: Roche Molecular Systems, Inc. - Applicants: Roche Molecular Systems, Inc. - Inventors: Alexander Meier; Chris Steinert; Michael Zeder - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12005439B2 ## CPC - B01L 3/502707: {characterised by the manufacture of the container or its components} - B01L 3/50273: {characterised by the means or forces applied to move the fluids} - B01L 3/50255: {Multi-well filtration} - B01L 3/5085: {for multiple samples, e.g. microtitration plates} - B01L 7/52: {with provision for submitting samples to a predetermined sequence of different temperatures, e.g. for treating nucleic acid samples} - B01L 2200/02: Adapting objects or devices to another - B01L 2200/0621: Control of the sequence of chambers filled or emptied - B01L 2200/0642: Filling fluids into wells by specific techniques - B01L 2200/0689: Sealing - B01L 2200/10: Integrating sample preparation and analysis in single entity, e.g. lab-on-a-chip concept - B01L 2200/12: Specific details about manufacturing devices - B01L 2300/041: Connecting closures to device or container - B01L 2300/0816: Cards, e.g. flat sample carriers usually with flow in two horizontal directions - B01L 2300/0819: Microarrays; Biochips - B01L 2300/0848: Specific forms of parts of containers - B01L 2300/0864: comprising only one inlet and multiple receiving wells, e.g. for separation, splitting - B01L 2300/12: Specific details about materials - B01L 2300/161: Control and use of surface tension forces, e.g. hydrophobic, hydrophilic - B01L 2300/168: Specific optical properties, e.g. reflective coatings - B01L 2300/18: Means for temperature control - B01L 2400/0406: capillary forces - B01L: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE ## Abstract A microfluidic device for thermocycling of a reaction mixture is provided. The device comprises an inlet opening, an outlet opening, a flow channel connecting the inlet opening and the outlet opening and defining a flow direction from the inlet opening through the flow channel to the outlet opening, wherein the flow channel comprises a first flow channel surface and a second flow channel surface opposite to the first flow channel surface, and an array of wells provided in the first flow channel surface for fluidic communication with the inlet opening and the outlet opening. Further, the first flow channel surface provides a first hydrophilicity and at least a part of the second flow channel surface provides a second hydrophilicity, wherein the first hydrophilicity is greater than the second hydrophilicity. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A microfluidic device for thermocycling of a reaction mixture, comprising: an inlet opening; an outlet opening; a flow channel connecting said inlet opening and said outlet opening and defining a flow direction from the inlet opening through the flow channel to the outlet opening, wherein the flow channel comprises a first flow channel surface; a second flow channel surface opposite to the first flow channel surface; and an array of wells provided in said first flow channel surface for fluidic communication with the inlet opening and the outlet opening, wherein each well of the wells of the array of wells has a well shape in the first flow channel surface in a form of a regular hexagon elongated in the flow direction such that a length of the well from a first corner to a second opposite corner in the flow direction is greater than a width of the well from a first flat to a second parallel flat wherein the width is perpendicular to the flow direction, wherein the first flow channel surface comprises a first hydrophilicity having a surface contact angle in a range of 30° to 50° and at least a part of the second flow channel surface comprises a second hydrophilicity having a surface contact angle in a range of 80° to 90°, such that said first hydrophilicity is greater than said second hydrophilicity. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The microfluidic device of claim 1, wherein the first hydrophilicity or the second hydrophilicity or both is provided by at least one of a surface treatment and a hydrophilic coating. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The microfluidic device of claim 1, wherein a vertex of each well is oriented in the flow direction facing towards the inlet opening, wherein two vertexes of each well arranged opposite to each other are oriented in parallel to the flow direction. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The microfluidic device of claim 1, wherein each well comprises a well length in the flow direction in a range of 50 μm to 300 μm, a well width perpendicular to the well length in a range of 25 μm to 150 μm, or a well depth in a range of 25 μm to 200 μm. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The microfluidic device of claim 1, wherein each well comprises a rounded edge. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The microfluidic device of claim 5, wherein the rounded well edge is rounded by a radius of less than 10 μm. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The microfluidic device of claim 1, wherein a rim is provided between adjacent wells for fluidic separation of the adjacent wells, each rim comprising a width greater than 10 μm. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The microfluidic device of claim 1, wherein an aspect ratio between a height of the flow channel and a length of each well is in a range between 0.3 and 0.7. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The microfluidic device of claim 1, wherein a height of the flow channel is in a range of 25 μm to 200 μm. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The microfluidic device of claim 1, wherein the microfluidic device consists of two parts attached detachably along a longitudinal axis of the microfluidic device. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The microfluidic device according to claim 10, wherein the flow channel with the array of wells, the inlet opening and the outlet opening are disposed in a first part of the microfluidic device wherein the first part comprises the first flow channel surface, and wherein a cover part is disposed in a second part of the microfluidic device wherein the second part comprises the second flow channel surface. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The microfluidic device of claim 1, wherein the microfluidic device is for digital PCR or biochemical assaying of a reaction mixture sample wherein the microfluidic device is configured to receive the reaction mixture in each of the wells via said flow channel. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The microfluidic device of claim 1, wherein the microfluidic device is a consumable and comprises a transparent material comprising at least one of Cyclic Olefin Copolymer COC and Cyclic Olephin Polymer COP.