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US 12,742,735 B2Granted
Device and method for material analysis using microfluidics, machine vision, and laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy
AssigneeSDT Inc.
InventorJiwon Yune
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Disclosed is an analysis device including a microfluidic chip that generates a droplet, a machine vision that captures a first point of the microfluidic chip, and a LIBS module that irradiates a second point of the microfluidic chip with laser. When a droplet is detected in an image captured by the machine vision, the LIBS module is driven to irradiate laser. The first point and the second point are points where the generated droplet can be observed.
Claims20
An analysis device comprising:
- a microfluidic chip configured to generate a droplet, and comprising:
- a first fluid inlet configured to supply a first fluid to a first flow path;
- a branch disposed at an end of the first flow path, the branch forming at least a first branch flow path and a second branch flow path configured to carry the first fluid;
- a second fluid inlet configured to supply a second fluid to a second flow path;
- a joining region disposed at an end of the first branch flow path, an end of the second branch flow path, and an end of the second flow path such that the droplet is generated by the first fluid and the second fluid joining at the joining region, the generated droplet comprising the second fluid;
- and
- a third flow path configured to carry the generated droplet;
- a machine vision configured to capture images of a first point of the microfluidic chip;
- and
- a Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) module configured to irradiate a second point of the microfluidic chip with a laser,
- wherein, when the generated droplet is detected in an image captured by the machine vision, the LIBS module is driven to irradiate the second point with the laser,
- wherein the microfluidic chip is configured such that the generated droplet is observable at each of the first point and the second point, and
- wherein the first point and the second point are separated by a predetermined distance, the predetermined distance being derived from at least one of a generation speed of the generated droplet or a movement speed of the generated droplet through the microfluidic chip.
10 more elements
An analysis device comprising:
- a microfluidic chip configured to generate a plurality of droplets, and comprising:
- a first fluid inlet configured to supply a first fluid to a first flow path;
- a branch disposed at an end of the first flow path, the branch forming at least a first branch flow path and a second branch flow path configured to carry the first fluid;
- a second fluid inlet configured to supply a second fluid to a second flow path;
- a joining region disposed at an end of the first branch flow path, an end of the second branch flow path, and an end of the second flow path such that the plurality of droplets are generated by the first fluid and the second fluid joining at the joining region, the plurality of droplets comprising the second fluid;
- and
- a third flow path configured to carry the plurality of droplets;
- a machine vision configured to capture images of a first point of the microfluidic chip, the images including a plurality of images that each capture a respective droplet of the plurality of droplets when the respective droplet is located at the first point;
- and
- a Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) module configured to irradiate a second point of the microfluidic chip with a laser, the second point being located such that the LIBS module is configured to irradiate a droplet of the plurality of droplets when the droplet is located at the second point,
- wherein the microfluidic chip is configured such that an individual droplet of the plurality of droplets is observable when the individual droplet is located at each of the first point and the second point,
- wherein the first point and the second point are located at a same point,
- wherein at a first time point a first droplet is located at a reference point on the microfluidic chip, the reference point being spaced away from the first point by a predetermined distance, and
- wherein the predetermined distance is derived from at least one of a generation rate of the plurality of droplets or a movement speed of the plurality of droplets through the microfluidic chip.
11 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.