METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SORTING PARTICLES

摘要

A method and apparatus for sorting particles moving through a closed channel system of capillary size comprises a bubble valve for selectively generating a pressure pulse to separate a particle having a predetermined characteristic from a stream of particles. The particle sorting system may further include a buffer for absorbing the pressure pulse. The particle sorting system may include a plurality of closely coupled sorting modules which are combined to further increase the sorting rate. The particle sorting system may comprise a multi-stage sorting device for serially sorting streams of particles, in order to decrease the error rate.

主权项

1. A particle sorting chip comprising:
a duct configured to convey particles in a stream, the duct including an inlet and a plurality of flow-through outlet channels, wherein the particles normally flow from the inlet into a first outlet channel of the plurality of flow-through outlet channels; and a first chamber in fluid communication with the duct via a first side opening, the first side opening positioned upstream of the plurality of flow-through outlet channels, wherein the first chamber is an actuator chamber configured to selectively discharge a transient pressure pulse during a switching operation via the first side opening to a selected particle having a predetermined characteristic, wherein the transient pressure pulse separates the selected particle from the stream of particles continuing to flow into the first outlet channel and deflects the selected particle into a second outlet channel of the plurality of flow-through outlet channels, and wherein, in the absence of the switching operation, fluid does not flow through the first side opening.