Microfluidic devices
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
InventorsSilam J. CHOY, Hilary ELY
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A microfluidic device includes a microfluidic chamber fluidly coupled to an inlet port and an outlet port, a semiconductor microchip including fluid active circuitry and transistor circuitry, and a bed of solid supports positioned within the microfluidic chamber fluidly positioned between the inlet port and the outlet port. The transistor circuitry in this example provides onboard logic at the semiconductor microchip to control fluid active circuitry. The semiconductor microchip also defines a portion of the microfluidic chamber.
Claims15
A microfluidic device, comprising:
- a microfluidic chamber fluidly coupled to an inlet port and an outlet port;
- a semiconductor microchip including fluid active circuitry and transistor circuitry, wherein the transistor circuitry provides onboard logic at the semiconductor microchip to control the fluid active circuitry, and wherein the semiconductor microchip defines a portion of the microfluidic chamber;
- and
- a bed of solid supports positioned within the microfluidic chamber fluidly positioned between the inlet port and the outlet port.
A method of making a microfluidic device, comprising:
- forming a microfluidic chamber fluidly coupled to an inlet port and an outlet port, wherein the microfluidic chamber is partially defined by a semiconductor microchip that includes fluid active circuitry and transistor circuitry to provide onboard logic at the semiconductor microchip to the fluid active circuitry;
- and
- disposing a bed of solid supports within the microfluidic chamber at a location fluidly positioned between the inlet port and the outlet port.
A method of electronically interacting with a target substance of a fluid, comprising:
- flowing a fluid that includes a target substance through a bed of solid supports contained within a microfluidic chamber, wherein the microfluidic chamber is partially defined by a semiconductor microchip that includes transistor circuitry and fluid actionable circuitry;
- selectively retaining the target substance at the bed of solid supports while allowing secondary fluid components to exit the microfluidic chamber;
- and
- electronically inducing an interaction between the target substance with the semiconductor microchip using the transistor circuitry to provide onboard logic to operate the fluid active circuitry.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.