Microfluidic Large Scale Integration

Abstract

High-density microfluidic chips contain plumbing networks with thousands of micromechanical valves and hundreds of individually addressable chambers. These fluidic devices are analogous to electronic integrated circuits fabricated using large scale integration (LSI). A component of these networks is the fluidic multiplexor, which is a combinatorial array of binary valve patterns that exponentially increases the processing power of a network by allowing complex fluid manipulations with a minimal number of inputs. These integrated microfluidic networks can be used to construct a variety of highly complex microfluidic devices, for example the microfluidic analog of a comparator array, and a microfluidic memory storage device resembling electronic random access memories.

1 - 36 . (canceled) 
   
   
       37 . A method of isolating elements of heterogeneous sample, the method comprising:
 flowing a sample comprising heterogeneous elements down a first elongated microfluidic flow channel;   actuating a first valve overlying the first elongated flow channel to define first and second segments, such that the first segment contains a first element of the heterogeneous sample and the second segment contains a second element of the heterogeneous sample.   
   
   
       38 . The method of  claim 37  further comprising diluting the heterogeneous sample to ensure that only one element of the sample is present in the first and second segments. 
   
   
       39 . The method of  claim 37  further comprising delivering a reactant to the first segment to react with the first element of the heterogeneous sample. 
   
   
       40 . The method of  claim 39  further comprising delivering the reactant to the second segment to react with the second element of the heterogeneous sample. 
   
   
       41 . The method of  claim 37  further comprising recovering the combined reactant and first sample element. 
   
   
       42 . A microfluidic device comprising:
 a selectively-addressable storage location defined within elastomer material;   a first flow channel in selective fluid communication with the storage location through a valve; and   a second flow channel in selective fluid communication with the storage location through a second valve.   
   
   
       43 . The microfluidic device of  claim 42 , wherein the first and second flow channels are coplanar with the storage location. 
   
   
       44 . The microfluidic device of  claim 43 , wherein:
 the storage location is defined by an intersection between a third and a fourth flow channel; and   the second flow channel comprises a bus line parallel to the third flow channel.   
   
   
       45 . The microfluidic device of  claim 42 , wherein the first and second flow channels are in fluid communication with the storage location through a vertical via. 
   
   
       46 . The microfluidic device of  claim 45  wherein:
 the first flow channel is in fluid communication with the storage location through a first one-way valve; and   the storage location is in fluid communication with the second flow channel through a second one-way valve.   
   
   
       47 . The microfluidic device of  claim 46  further comprising:
 a first control channel network adjacent to the first flow channel to define a first multiplexor configured to control pressure within the first flow channel; and   a second control channel network adjacent to the second flow channel to define a second multiplexor configured to control pressure within the second flow channel.   
   
   
       48 . A method for selectively storing and recovering a material in a microfluidic device, the method comprising:
 providing a chamber defined within an elastomer material;   selectively flowing a material into the chamber through a first valve in a first flow channel; and   selectively flowing the material from the chamber through a second valve in a second flow channel.   
   
   
       49 . The method of  claim 48  wherein:
 the material is flowed into the chamber through the first flow channel disposed on the same plane as the chamber; and   the material is flowed from the chamber through the second flow channel disposed on the same plane as the chamber and the first flow channel.   
   
   
       50 . The method of  claim 48  wherein:
 the material is flowed into the chamber through the first flow channel disposed one of beneath or above the chamber; and   the material is flowed from the chamber through the second flow channel disposed on the other of beneath or above the chamber and the first flow channel.   
   
   
       51 . The method of  claim 50  wherein:
 the material is flowed into the chamber through a first one-way valve; and   the material is flowed from the chamber through a second one-way valve.   
   
   
       52 . The method of  claim 48  wherein the material comprises an optically absorbing material, such that the microfluidic device functions as a display. 
   
   
       53 . The method of  claim 48  wherein the material comprises a cell, such that the microfluidic device functions as a cell pen.