Compact microfluidic structures for manipulating fluids

摘要

Disclosed is a method and apparatus for manipulating fluids. The apparatus may include a microfluidic structure including inlet channels (1 and 2) and outlet channels (306, 307, 308, 309, 310, 311, 312, 313, and 314) oriented among bifurcated (5), trifurcated (6) and merging junctions (7 and 8). The apparatus splits and merges fluids flowing in the channels to produce successive dilutions of the fluids within the outlet channels. Multiple apparatus may be combined in serial, parallel, combined serial and parallel and/or stacked configurations. One or more apparatus may be used alone or to provide various devices or chambers with the diluted fluids.

主权项

1. A microfluidic structure for manipulating fluids, comprising N mixing levels, wherein at least one mixing level comprises,
i. a trifurcated junction, whereby a first merged channel for carrying a first fluid is trifurcated into a first transfer channel for carrying the first fluid, a first mixing channel for carrying the first fluid, and a second mixing channel for carrying the first fluid, ii. a bifurcated junction, whereby a second transfer channel for carrying a second fluid is bifurcated into a third transfer channel for carrying the second fluid and a third mixing channel for carrying the second fluid; iii. a merging junction, merging the first mixing channel for carrying the first fluid with the third mixing channel for carrying the second fluid to form a second merged channel for carrying a mixed fluid, wherein the first mixing channel and the third mixing channel are in direct connection at the merging junction; and N≧1.