EP0708331A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Fully integrated miniaturized planar liquid sample handling and analysis device
Assignee: Agilent Technologies Inc
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Filing: 1995-10-19
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2015-10-19
Abstract
Abstract A miniaturized total analysis system ("µ-TAS") (200) comprising a miniaturized planar column device (2) is described for use in liquid phase analysis. The µ-TAS (200) comprises microstructures fabricated by laser ablation in a variety of novel support substrates (4). The µ-TAS (200) includes associated laser-ablated features (10) required for integrated sample analysis, such as analyte detection means and fluid communication means. µ-TAS (200) constructed according to the invention is useful in any analysis system for detecting and analyzing small and/or macromolecular solutes in the liquid phase and may employ chromatographic separation means, electrophoretic separation means, electrochromatographic separation means, or combinations thereof.
Inventors
- 👤 Klaus E. Witt
- 👤 Patrick Kaltenbach
- 👤 Fritz Bek
- 👤 Sally A. Swedberg
- 👤 Laurie S. Mittelstadt
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 03:09
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01N; G01N30/00; G01N30/02; G01N30/60; G01N30/6095; B; B01; B01L; B01L3/00; B01L3/50; B01L3/502; B01L3/5027; B01L3/502707; B01L7/00; B01L7/54; G01N27/00; G01N27/26; G01N27/416; G01N27/447; G01N27/44704; G01N27/44708; G01N27/44756; G01N27/44773; G01N27/44791; B01L2200/00; B01L2200/02; B01L2200/025; B01L2200/026; B01L2200/027; B01L2200/06; B01L2200/0689; B01L2200/10; B01L2200/12; B01L2300/00; B01L2300/08; B01L2300/0809; B01L2300/0816; B01L2300/0861; B01L2300/087; B01L2300/0874; B01L2300/0887; B01L2300/18; B01L2300/1805; B01L2300/1822; B01L2400/00; B01L2400/04; B01L2400/0403; B01L2400/0415; B01L2400/0421; B01L2400/0442; B01L2400/0475; B01L2400/0487; B01L3/02; B01L3/0241; B01L3/0268; B01L3/502715; B01L3/505; B01L3/5055; B29; B29C; B29C65/00; B29C65/02; B29C66/00; B29C66/50; B29C66/51; B29C66/54; B29C66/549; G01N30/26; G01N30/28; G01N2030/285; G01N30/30; G01N2030/3007; G01N2030/3015; G01N2030/303; G01N27/44717; G01N27/44721; G01N30/6047; G01N30/6052; G01N30/606
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
194 words
A miniaturized total analysis system (µ- TAS) (200) comprising a miniaturized column device (2) comprising: (a) a substrate (4) having first (6) and second (8) substantially planar opposing surfaces wherein said substrate (4) is comprised of a material other than silicon or silicon dioxide, said substrate (4) having a first microchannel (10) laser-ablated in the first planar surface (6), wherein said first microchannel (10) comprises more than one sample handling region (202, 204, 206, 208, 210, 212, 214, 216, 218, 220); (b) a cover plate (12) arranged over the first planar surface (6), said cover plate (12) in combination with the first microchannel (10) forming a first sample processing compartment (14), wherein the sample handling regions (202, 204, 206, 208, 210, 212, 214, 216, 218, 220) define a sample flow component (202, 204, 206, 208, 210, 212) in fluid communication with a sample treatment component (214, 216, 218, 220); and (c) at least one inlet port (18) and at least one outlet port (22) communicating with the first sample processing compartment (14), said inlet (18) and outlet (22) ports enabling the passage of fluid from an external source through the sample processing compartment (14).
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
224 words
A µ-TAS (200) device comprising: (a) a support body (104) formed from a substrate (4) comprised of a material other than silicon or silicon dioxide, said support body (104) having first (106) and second (108) component halves each having substantially planar interior surfaces (110, 112); (b) a first microchannel (114) laser- ablated in the interior surface (110) of the first support body half (104) and a second microchannel (116) laser-ablated in the interior surface (112) of the second support body half (108), wherein said first (114) and second (116) microchannels are arranged so as to provide the mirror image of the other; (c) a sample processing compartment (14) formed by aligning the interior surfaces (110, 112) of the support body halves (106, 108) in facing abutment with each other whereby the microchannels (114, 116) define said sample processing compartment (14) and wherein said sample processing compartment (14) comprises sample handling regions (202, 204, 206, 208, 210, 212, 214, 216, 218, 220) which define a sample flow component (202, 204, 206, 208, 210, 212) in fluid communication with a sample treatment component (214, 216, 218, 220); and (d) at least one inlet port (120) and at least one outlet port (124) communicating with the sample processing compartment (14), said ports enabling the passage of fluid from an external source through the sample processing compartment (14).
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
59 words
The µ-TAS (200) of claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the first sample processing compartment (14) comprises a serial arrangement of sample handling regions (202, 204, 206, 208, 210, 212, 214, 216, 218, 220) which define a serial arrangement of alternating sample flow components (202, 204, 206, 208, 210, 212) and sample treatment components (214, 216, 218, 220).
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
52 words
The µ-TAS (200) of claim 3, further comprising detection means (232, 234, 236, 238, 240) laser-ablated in the substrate (4), wherein said detection means (232, 234, 236, 238, 240) is in communication with the sample processing compartment (14) thereby enabling the detection of a sample passing through the sample processing compartment (14).
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
171 words
The µ-TAS (200) of claim 3, further comprising: (a) a reservoir microstructure (252) laser-ablated in the first planar surface (6), wherein the cover plate (12) in combination with said microstructure define a reservoir compartment (252) having an inlet means (254) and an outlet means (256); (b) a conducting microchannel (262) laser-ablated in the first planar surface (6), wherein the cover plate (12) in combination with said conducting microchannel (262) defines a sample flow component (202, 204, 206, 208, 210, 212) having first and second ends respectively in fluid communication with the sample processing compartment (14) and the reservoir compartment outlet means (256); (c) an orifice (18) in divertable fluid communication with the reservoir compartment inlet means (254), said orifice enabling the passage of fluid from an external source into the reservoir compartment (252); and (d) a motive means (266, 270, 272) enabling the displacement of a fluid from the reservoir compartment (252) through the sample flow component (202, 204, 206, 208, 210, 212) and into the first sample processing compartment (14).
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
124 words
The µ-TAS (200) of claim 3, further comprising: (a) a second microchannel (62) having an inlet port (68) and an outlet port (70) laser-ablated in the second planar surface (8); (b) a second cover plate (66) disposed over the second planar surface (8), said cover plate (66) in combination with the second microchannel (62) defining a second sample processing compartment (62); (c) conduit means (72) for communicating the outlet port (22) of the first sample processing compartment (14) and the inlet port (68) of the second sample processing compartment (62) with each other thereby forming a single continuous sample processing compartment, said conduit means (72) comprising a laser-ablated aperture in the substrate, said aperture having an axis which is orthogonal to the planar surfaces.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
35 words
The µ-TAS (200) of claim 6, further comprising detection means (78, 80) comprising apertures laser-ablated respectively in the first (12) and second (66) cover plates and arranged in co-axial communication with the conduit means (72).
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
171 words
The µ-TAS (200) of claim 6, further comprising: (a) a reservoir microstructure (252) laser-ablated in the first planar surface (6), wherein the cover plate (12) in combination with said microstructure define a reservoir compartment (252) having an inlet means (254) and an outlet means (256); (b) a conducting microchannel (262) laser-ablated in the first planar surface (6), wherein the cover plate (12) in combination with said conducting microchannel (262) defines a sample flow component (202, 204, 206, 208, 210, 212) having first and second ends respectively in fluid communication with the sample processing compartment (14) and the reservoir compartment outlet means (256); (c) an orifice (18) in divertable fluid communication with the reservoir compartment inlet means (254), said orifice enabling the passage of fluid from an external source into the reservoir compartment (252); and (d) a motive means (266, 270, 272) enabling the displacement of a fluid from the reservoir compartment (252) through the sample flow component (202, 204, 206, 208, 210, 212) and into the first sample processing compartment (14).
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
103 words
The µ-TAS (200) of one of claim 3, 5 and 6, further comprising: (a) a sample delivery means (302) in fluid communication with the first sample processing compartment outlet port (232), said sample delivery means (302) comprising a mixing chamber (304) in fluid communication and in axial alignment with a fluid communication means (306) and an outlet nozzle (308); (b) a fluid source (252) in divertable fluid communication with the fluid communication means (306); and (c) a post-column collection device (320) comprising a sample receiving means (322, 324, 328) positioned relative to the outlet nozzle (308) to receive eluent from the nozzle means.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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