Integrated monolithic microfabricated electrospray and liquid chromatography system and method

A method for generating an electrospray of a fluid, comprising:

• providing a channel extending between an entrance orifice defined on an injection surface of a substrate and a nozzle defined on an ejection surface of the substrate;
• introducing a fluid into the channel through the entrance orifice;
• providing a first electrode in electrical contact with the fluid;
• applying a first potential voltage to the fluid;
• positioning the nozzle adjacent to an extracting electrode;
• and
• ejecting the fluid from the channel through the nozzle by applying or holding the extracting electrode at a second potential voltage different from the first potential voltage.

A liquid chromatography system, comprising:

• a first substrate having a first surface and a second surface, the first substrate defining an entrance opening on the first surface, a fluid reservoir recessed from the second surface, a first channel extending between the entrance opening and the reservoir, a second channel recessed from the second surface, and a plurality of posts extending from the second channel;
• and
• a cover substrate bonded to the first substrate to enclose the reservoir and the second channel adjacent the cover substrate,
• wherein the first and/or the cover substrate defines an exit and wherein the second channel extends between the exit and the reservoir.

An integrated chemical analysis system, comprising:

• a first substrate having a major surface;
• a second substrate bonded to or otherwise attached to said first substrate;
• a liquid chromatography system integrated in said second substrate, and configured to receive a fluid for analysis and to process and output the fluid;
• and
• an electrospray device integrated on said first substrate, the electrospray device having an injection surface configured to receive the processed fluid from the liquid chromatography system, the major surface being configured to dispense the fluid by electrospraying the fluid.