Separation apparatus including porous silicon column
AssigneeMicron Technology, Inc.
InventorTerry L. Gilton
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A sample separation apparatus including a porous, or rough, capillary column. The porous capillary column includes a matrix which defines pores, and may be formed rough surface of hemispherical grain silicon. The capillary column is defined in a surface of a substrate, such as silicon. The sample separation apparatus may include a stationary phase or a capture substrate disposed on the surfaces thereof. The sample separation apparatus may also include a detector positioned proximate the capillary column. A variation of the sample separation apparatus includes an electrode proximate each end of the capillary column. The sample separation apparatus may be employed to effect various types of chromatographic separation, electrophoretic separation, and analyte identification.
Claims23
A method of substantially isolating a constituent of a sample, comprising:
- dispersing the sample in a mobile phase;
- applying the sample to a first end of a porous capillary column formed in a nonporous substrate, said porous capillary column comprising a matrix including the same material as said nonporous substrate and at least one capture substrate disposed on said matrix;
- and
- drawing the sample across a flowfront through said porous capillary column so as to enhance separation of the constituent from the sample by said at least one capture substrate.
A method of identifying the presence of a constituent in a sample, comprising:
- providing the sample in a mobile phase;
- applying the sample to a first end of a capillary column formed in a nonporous substrate, said capillary column comprising a matrix including the same material as said nonporous substrate;
- drawing the sample across a flowfront through said capillary column and in contact with a stationary phase disposed at a selected location along said capillary column;
- and
- detecting binding of the constituent with said stationary phase at said selected location.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.