Micro-mechanical structures for storing and testing substances - e.g. for disease diagnosis, is made of inert material, e.g. glass, and has defined pattern of depressions, cavities, etc.

摘要

Micromechanical structures with cavities, reservoirs, openings, channels, depressions, elevations and similar features, used to examine test substances for possible changes in physical and/or chemical properties, are made of (or contain) semiconducting elements (Gp. III-VIII), or glass, ceramic, diamond or carbon. They are prepd. by 'non-splintering' methods, pref. chemical etching. The structure comprises a block and cover of the same material, esp. silicon (or other single-crystal material) or glass. The block has a number of depressions of partic. size, shape, distribution, etc., and the cover has elevations which match these exactly so as to provide a hermetic closure. USE/ADVANTAGE - These structures are used for evaluation and documentation in biotechnology, genetic engineering, cell or immune research, or for other medical, agricultural or environmental research. They allow dangerous substances to be stored and handled (for testing, etc.) safely, and provide simple process control and evaluation of tests on very small amts. of sample. The structures can be made inexpensively on a large scale from inert materials.