# US 2010/0166608 A1 · Method and system for microfluidic device and imaging thereof > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2010/0166608 A1 - Document ID: US20100166608A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 12/645,396 - Filed: 2009-12-22 - Published: 2010-07-01 - Earliest claimed: 2003-05-20 - Assignees: Fluidigm Corporation - Inventors: Emerson Chueng Quan; Colin Jon Taylor; Michael Lee; Christopher G. Ceasar; Greg Harris; Gang Sun - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20100166608A1 ## CPC - G01N 33/00: Investigating or analysing materials by specific methods not covered by groups G01N1/00 - G01N31/00 - B01L 3/5025: {for parallel transport of multiple samples} - B01L 3/502707: {characterised by the manufacture of the container or its components} - B01L 2200/025: Align devices or objects to ensure defined positions relative to each other - B01L 2200/12: Specific details about manufacturing devices - B01L 2300/0816: Cards, e.g. flat sample carriers usually with flow in two horizontal directions - B01L 2300/0864: comprising only one inlet and multiple receiving wells, e.g. for separation, splitting - B01L 2300/0867: Multiple inlets and one sample wells, e.g. mixing, dilution - B01L 2300/087: Multiple sequential chambers - B01L 2300/0887: Laminated structure - B01L 2400/0481: squeezing of channels or chambers - B01L 2400/0655: pinch valves - Y10T 436/11: Automated chemical analysis - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) - B01L: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract A biological substrate, e.g., microfluidic chip. The substrate includes a rigid substrate material, which has a surface region capable of acting as a handle substrate. The substrate also has a deformable fluid layer coupled to the surface region. One or more well regions are formed in a first portion of the deformable fluid layer and are capable of holding a fluid therein. The one or more channel regions are formed in a second portion of the deformable fluid layer and are coupled to one or more of the well regions. An active region is formed in the deformable fluid layer. At least three fiducial markings are formed within the non-active region and disposed in a spatial manner associated with at least one of the well regions. A control layer is coupled to the fluid layer. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A microfluidic system, the system comprising: a rigid substrate material, the rigid substrate material having a surface region, the surface region being capable of acting as a handle substrate; a deformable fluid layer coupled to the surface region; one or more well regions formed in a first portion of the deformable fluid layer, the one or more well regions being capable of holding a fluid therein; one or more channel regions formed in a second portion of the deformable fluid layer, the one or more channel regions being coupled to one or more of the well regions; an active region formed in the deformable fluid layer, the active region including the one or more well regions; a non-active region formed in the deformable fluid layer, the non-active region being formed outside of the first portion and the second portion; a first fiducial marking formed within the non-active region and disposed in a spatial manner associated with at least one of the channel regions; a second fiducial marking formed within the non-active region and disposed in a spatial manner associated with at least one of the well regions; a control layer coupled to the fluid layer, the control layer including one or more control regions; and a third fiducial marking formed within the control layer. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The substrate of claim 1 wherein the second fiducial marking is a company logo and is larger than either the first fiducial marking or the second fiducial marking. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The substrate of claim 1 wherein the first fiducial marking comprises a first channel fiducial marking and a second channel fiducial marking, the first channel fiducial marking being spatially disposed from the second channel fiducial marking. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The substrate of claim 1 wherein the third fiducial marking comprises a first control fiducial marking and a second control fiducial marking, the first control fiducial marking being spatially disposed from the second control fiducial marking. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The substrate of claim 1 wherein the first fiducial marking, the second fiducial marking, and the third fiducial marking, being spatially disposed from each other along the surface region. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The substrate of claim 1 wherein the first fiducial marking is characterized by a spatial dimension of greater than 100 μm and less than 250 μm. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The substrate of claim 1 wherein the first fiducial marking is characterized by a depth of at least 10 μm within a thickness of the non-active region. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The substrate of claim 1 wherein the second fiducial marking is characterized by a depth of at least 10 μm within a thickness of the non-active region. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The substrate of claim 1 wherein the third fiducial marking is characterized by a depth of at least 10 μm within a thickness of the control layer. ### Claim 10 A microfluidic system, the system comprising: a substrate comprising a surface region; a deformable layer coupled to the surface of the substrate, the deformable layer being made of at least a thickness of first material; a control layer coupled to the deformable layer to form a sandwich structure including at least the substrate, the deformable layer and the control layer, the control layer being made of at least a thickness of second material; at least one fiducial marking provided within either the control layer or the deformable layer or the substrate, the fiducial marking being characterized by a visual pattern provided in a volume surrounded wholly or partially by at least the substrate, the first material, or the second material; and a fluid disposed within the open volume of the one fiducial marking, the fluid being characterized by a refractive index. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10 wherein the refractive index is associated with air. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10 wherein the fluid comprises an air mixture. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10 wherein the fluid comprises air. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10 wherein the open volume is characterized by a recessed region. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10 wherein the refractive index is substantially different from a surrounding material, the surrounding material being either the first material or the second material or the substrate. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10 wherein the fiducial marking is characterized by edges to form the pattern. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16 wherein the edges comprises 90 degree corners. ### Claim 18 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10 wherein the fluid is non-reactive. ### Claim 19 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10 wherein the substrate is selected from silicon, quartz, glass, or rigid plastic.