On-chip thermopneumatic pressure for discrete drop pumping.

摘要: A class of “lab-on-a-chip” devices use external air pressure for pumping discrete drops in a microchannel network. External connectors can be cumbersome and are real-estate intensive. We have developed an on-chip technique to generate pressures required metering nanoliter-volume drops. This is achieved by heating trapped pressure-generating chamber. The chamber connected the point application liquid-conveying through air-delivery channel. volume on order 100 nL heated resistive metal heaters tens degrees celcius 7.5 kN/m2. rate drop electronically controlled device controlling heating. Flow rates 20 nL/s obtained (300 μm × 30 μm) at ∼6 °C/s. In this paper, we describe design, fabr...