Method of fabricating a flow constriction within a channel of a microfluidic device
AssigneeWisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
InventorsDavid J. Beebe, Jeffrey S. Moore, Jaisree Moorthy
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Abstract
A method is provided for fabricating a constriction region in a channel of a microfluidic device. The method includes the steps of introducing a pre-polymer mixture including a monomer, cross-linking agent and photoinitiator into the channel. The pre-polymer mixture is polymerized at a localized area of the channel so as to shrink and solidify the liquid mixture. The solidified and shrunken liquid mixture provides the constriction region in the channel.
Claims19
A method of providing an obstruction having a configuration in a microfluidic device having a channel extending therethrough, the channel having an input and output for allowing the flow of fluid therethrough, comprising the steps of:
- providing a liquid mixture within the channel;
- adding filler material to the liquid mixture;
- and
- solidifying the liquid mixture in the channel to provide the obstruction;
- wherein the filler material modulates the configuration of the obstruction as the liquid mixture is solidified.
A method of providing an obstruction in a microfluidic device having a channel extending therethrough, comprising the steps of:
- providing a pre-polymer mixture in the channel;
- exposing the pre-polymer mixture to a polymerizable stimulus from a source such that the pre-polymer mixture shrinks and solidifies to provide the obstruction in the channel;
- and
- adding filler to the pre-polymer mixture prior to exposing the pre-polymer mixture to the polymerizable simulus to modulate the shrinkage of the pre-polymer mixture.
A method of manufacturing a constriction region in a microfluidic device having a channel extending therethrough, comprising the steps of:
- introducing a liquid mix;
- polymerizing the liquid mixture at a localized area of the channel so as to shrink the liquid mixture and provide an obstruction in the channel;
- and
- controlling the shrinkage of the liquid mixture during polymerization.
A method of providing an obstruction in a microfluidic device having a channel extending therethrough, the channel having an input and output for allowing the flow of fluid therethrough, comprising the steps of:
- providing a liquid mixture within the channel;
- positioning filler material within the channel;
- and
- solidifying the liquid mixture in the channel to provide the obstruction.
A method of providing an obstruction in a microfluidic device having a channel extending therethrough, the channel having an input and output for allowing the flow of fluid therethrough, comprising the steps of:
- providing a liquid mixture within the channel;
- adding filler material to the liquid mixture;
- and
- solidifying the liquid mixture in the channel to provide the obstructions by exposing the liquid mixture to ultraviolet light;
- wherein the step of exposing the liquid mixture to ultraviolet light includes the additional steps of:
- generating the ultraviolet light with a source;
- and
- passing the ultraviolet light through an optical mask.
A method of providing an obstruction in a microfluidic device having a channel extending therethrough, the channel having an input and output for allowing the flow of fluid therethrough, comprising the steps of:
- providing a liquid mixture within the channel;
- adding filler material to the liquid mixture;
- and
- solidifying the liquid mixture in the channel to provide the obstruction;
- wherein the step of solidifying the liquid mixture includes the step of shrinking the liquid mixture.
A method of providing an obstruction in a microfluidic device having a channel extending therethrough, the channel having an input and output for allowing the flow of fluid therethrough, comprising the steps of:
- providing a liquid mixture within the channel, the liquid mixture including a monomer, a cross-linking agent and a photoinitiator;
- adding filler material to the liquid mixture;
- and
- solidifying the liquid mixture in the channel to provide the obstruction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.