Microstructured micropillar arrays for controllable filling of a capillary pump
AssigneeImec Vzw
InventorsBenjamin Jones, Paolo Fiorini
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Abstract
The embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a micro-fluidic device comprising a substrate, a cavity in the substrate and a plurality of micro-pillar columns located inside the cavity. The micro-pillars columns are configured to create a capillary action when a fluid sample is provided in the cavity. A micro-fluidic channel is present between two 5 walls of any two adjacent micro-pillars in a same micro-pillar column. Each of the two walls comprises a sharp corner along the direction of a propagation path of the fluid sample in the micro-fluidic channel thereby forming a capillary stop valve. A notch provided in a sidewall of the cavity acts as a capillary stop valve.
Claims8
A micro-fluidic device comprising:
- a substrate;
- a cavity in the substrate;
- and
- a plurality of micro-pillar columns located in the cavity;
- wherein the plurality of micro-pillar columns is configured to create a capillary action when a fluid sample is provided in the cavity,
- wherein a micro-fluidic channel is present between two walls of any two adjacent micro-pillars in a same micro-pillar column,
- wherein each of the two walls comprises a sharp corner along a direction of a propagation path of the fluid sample in the micro-fluidic channel thereby forming a first capillary stop valve,
- and wherein each micro-pillar column includes a notch located in a sidewall of the cavity, wherein the notch is provided adjacent to a micro-pillar located at one edge of each micro-pillar column, wherein the notch in conjunction with the micro-pillar located at that one edge of each micro-pillar column functions as a second capillary stop valve, and wherein each notch of each adjacent micro-pillar column is located in an opposite sidewall of the cavity.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.