A MICROFLUIDIC DEVICE DESIGN COMPRISING CAPILLARIES

摘要

The invention describes a new microfluidic chip design allowing for a connection of capillaries to a microfluidic chip. In a chip according to the invention the fluid channels are closed off with a deformable penetrable substance. A leakage free fluid connection is provided by inserting a capillary through the deformable penetrable substance into the channel. Several means of anti-clogging features of a capillary are described. The size of the fluid connection is in the order of the diameter of the capillaries used and therefore enables smaller and thinner microfluidic chips comprising many connections. The connection technique can be used in combination with most lab-on-a-chip devices. The connection technique is also suitable for automation for high throughput systems. Many combined techniques and their improvements leading to new possibilities are described. Because the microfluidic chip no longer needs a chip holder or connections on top or bottom during analysis, physical constraints for microscopes disappear. Without physical constraints many different microscopic analysis systems can be used to view the same chip.