Microfluidic system

A component for manipulating droplets, the component comprising:

• a first microfluidic channel configured to flow droplets of a sample fluid in a first immiscible carrier fluid, wherein each droplet is separated from an immediately adjacent droplet by the first immiscible carrier fluid;
• a region comprising one or more side branch channels in fluidic communication with the first microfluidic channel, wherein at least one of the side branch channels is configured to manipulate a spacing between a pair of immediately adjacent droplets by flowing a second immiscible carrier fluid between the pair of immediately adjacent droplets;
• and
• a second microfluidic channel in fluidic communication with the first microfluidic channel and the region, wherein the second microfluidic channel is configured to flow droplets having manipulated spacing between the pair of immediately adjacent droplets.

A component for forming droplets, the component comprising:

• a first microfluidic channel configured to provide a sample fluid;
• a second microfluidic channel configured to provide a first immiscible carrier fluid;
• a region comprising at least the first microfluidic channel and the second microfluidic channel, wherein the region is configured to form droplets of the sample fluid, wherein each droplet is separated from an immediately adjacent droplet by the first immiscible carrier fluid;
• a third microfluidic channel in fluidic communication with the first microfluidic channel, the second microfluidic channel, and the region, wherein the third microfluidic channel is configured to flow droplets to an outlet;
• and
• a manifold configured to route the sample fluid to the first microfluidic channel, route the first immiscible carrier fluid to the second microfluidic channel, or to route droplets from the outlet;
• and
• wherein the component is configured to dispense the droplets from the outlet into an external volume.

A component for detecting droplets, the component comprising:

• a first microfluidic channel configured to flow droplets of a sample fluid in a first immiscible carrier fluid, wherein each droplet is separated from an immediately adjacent droplet by the first immiscible carrier fluid;
• a detector configured to detect the presence of one or more substances within each droplet;
• and
• a region comprising a material for detection, wherein the region is configured to provide the droplets in an array past the detector,
• wherein the component is configured to dispense the droplets from the outlet into an external volume.

A system for droplets, the system comprising:

• a first component for forming droplets, wherein the first component comprises:
• a region configured to form droplets of a sample fluid, wherein each droplet is separated from an immediately adjacent droplet by a first immiscible carrier fluid;
• and
• a first microfluidic channel in fluidic communication with the region, wherein the first microfluidic is configured to flow the droplets to an outlet,
• wherein the first component is configured to dispense the droplets from the outlet into an external volume;
• a second component for manipulating and detecting droplets, wherein the second component comprises:
• a first region comprising one or more side branch channels, wherein at least one of the side branch channels is configured to manipulate a spacing between a pair of immediately adjacent droplets by flowing a second immiscible carrier fluid between the pair of immediately adjacent droplets;
• and
• a second region comprising a material for optical detection, wherein the second region is configured to provide the droplets having manipulated spacing between the pair of immediately adjacent droplets in an array past a detector;
• wherein the second component is configured to receive the droplets from the external volume.