Microfluidic connections

A fluid-tight junction comprising a first substrate assembly, a second substrate assembly, an elongate component passing through the junction, and a sealing gasket;

• the first substrate assembly comprising:
• (A) a first substrate comprising a first end portion (FEP) comprising:
• (a) a first end portion (FEP) mating face which lies in an FEP mating plane, and
• (b) an FEP conduit which (i) extends to the FEP mating face, and (ii) has a terminal portion adjacent to the FEP mating face, the terminal portion having an FEP conduit axis which is straight and perpendicular to the FEP mating face,
• (B) a first substrate (FS) top face,
• (C) an FS bottom face,
• (D) two FS side faces,
• (E) a primary FS alignment feature which (i) has a primary FS alignment axis which is parallel to the FEP conduit axis, and (ii) extends along a primary FS alignment face selected from the FS top, bottom and side faces, and
• (F) a secondary FS alignment feature which (i) has a secondary FS alignment axis which is parallel to the FEP conduit axis, and (ii) extends along a secondary FEP alignment face which is (i) selected from the FS top, bottom and side faces, and (ii) is different from the primary FS alignment face;
• the second substrate assembly comprising:
• (A) a second substrate comprising:
• (a) a second end portion (SEP) mating face which lies in an SEP mating plane,
• (b) an SEP conduit which (i) extends to the SEP mating face, and (ii) has a terminal portion adjacent to the SEP mating face, the terminal portion having an SEP conduit axis which is straight and perpendicular to the SEP mating face,
• (B) a second substrate (SS) top face,
• (C) an SS bottom face,
• (D) two SS side faces,
• (E) a primary SS alignment feature which (i) has a primary SS alignment axis which is parallel to the SEP conduit axis and which substantially coincides with a primary FEP alignment axis, and (ii) extends along a primary SS alignment face selected from the SS top, bottom and side faces, and
• (F) a secondary SS alignment feature which (i) has a secondary FS alignment axis which is parallel to the SEP conduit axis and which substantially coincides with the secondary FEP alignment axis, and (ii) extends along a secondary SS alignment face which is (i) selected from the SS top, bottom and side faces, and (ii) is different from the primary SS alignment face;
• the elongate component
• (a) having a component axis which substantially coincides with the FEP and SEP conduit axes, and
• (b) comprising (i) a fixed portion which is secured within the FEP conduit, and (ii) a free portion which includes an intermediate portion which lies between the FEP and SEP mating faces, and a trapped portion which lies within the second conduit;
• and the sealing gasket
• (a) surrounding the intermediate portion of the elongate component, and
• (b) having a deformed configuration which results from compression between the FEP and SEP mating faces, and which forms a liquid-tight seal between the elongate component and the FEP and SEP mating surfaces.