Microchip for sorting micro particles and cartridge including same

Abstract

A microchip is provided that includes a flow path through which a liquid containing a micro particle flows, an orifice through which the liquid flowing through the flow path is discharged into a space outside the microchip, and a light-irradiated portion provided at a predetermined location of the flow path and configured to be irradiated with light. A width of the flow path and a depth of the flow path at the orifice are set to be smaller than a width of the flow path and a depth of the flow path at the light-irradiated portion, and the flow path is configured to gradually decrease from upstream of the orifice in a cross-section area perpendicular to a liquid-delivering direction between the light-irradiated portion and the orifice. A cartridge including the microchip is also provided.

The invention is claimed as follows: 
     
       1. A microchip for analyzing a micro particle comprising:
 a flow path through which a liquid containing a micro particle flows;   an orifice through which the liquid flowing through the flow path is configured to be discharged into a space outside the microchip; and   a light-irradiated portion provided at a predetermined location of the flow path and configured to be irradiated with light,   wherein a width of the flow path and a depth of the flow path within the microchip at the orifice are set to be smaller than a width of the flow path and a depth of the flow path within the microchip at the light-irradiated portion, and   wherein the flow path is configured to gradually decrease within the microchip, from upstream of the orifice in a cross-section area perpendicular to a liquid-delivering direction between the light-irradiated portion and the orifice.   
     
     
       2. The microchip of  claim 1 , comprising an oscillating element for transforming the liquid into a liquid drop and discharging the liquid drop at the orifice. 
     
     
       3. The microchip of  claim 1 , comprising a micro tube that introduces, into a laminar flow of a liquid T flowing through the flow path, a laminar flow of a liquid S containing the micro particle, upstream of the liquid-delivering direction with respect to the light-irradiated portion. 
     
     
       4. The microchip of  claim 3 , wherein the micro tube includes a metal on which voltage can be applied. 
     
     
       5. The microchip of  claim 1 , wherein the microchip comprises a substrate and the flow path is provided within the substrate. 
     
     
       6. The microchip of  claim 1 , further comprising: a sheath liquid inlet, and wherein the sheath liquid inlet branches into a first direction and a second direction, and wherein the first direction is opposite to the second direction. 
     
     
       7. A cartridge comprising:
 a microchip for analyzing a micro particle comprising: 
 a flow path through which a liquid containing a micro particle flows; 
 an orifice through which the liquid flowing through the flow path is configured to be discharged into a space outside the microchip flow path; and 
 a light-irradiated portion provided at a predetermined location of the flow path and configured to be irradiated with light; and 
 a cavity in which at least the orifice and the space in which the liquid drop discharged outside through the orifice moves are configured, 
 wherein a width of the flow path and a depth of the flow path at the orifice are set to be smaller than a width of the flow path and a depth of the flow path at the light-irradiated portion, 
 wherein the flow path is configured to gradually decrease from upstream of the orifice in a cross-section area perpendicular to a liquid-delivering direction between the light-irradiated portion and the orifice, and 
 wherein the cavity has an optical window having light transmittance for light transmitted to the light-irradiated portion. 
 
     
     
       8. The cartridge of  claim 7 , wherein the cavity is configured to be hermetically sealed. 
     
     
       9. The cartridge of  claim 7 , wherein the microchip comprises  further comprising an oscillating element for transforming the liquid into a liquid drop and discharging the liquid drop at the orifice. 
     
     
       10. The cartridge of  claim 7 , wherein the microchip comprises further comprising a micro tube that introduces, into a laminar flow of a liquid T flowing through the flow path, a laminar flow of a liquid S containing the micro particle, upstream of the liquid-delivering direction with respect to the light-irradiated portion. 
     
     
       11. The cartridge of  claim 10 , wherein the micro tube includes further comprising a metal on which voltage is configured to be applied. 
     
     
       12. The cartridge of claim  7   13 , wherein the microchip micro fluidic structure comprises a substrate and the flow path is provided within the substrate. 
     
     
       13. The cartridge of  claim 7 , further comprising a micro fluidic structure comprising the flow path, the orifice, and the light irradiated portion. 
     
     
       14. The cartridge of  claim 13 , wherein the micro fluidic structure is a microchip. 
     
     
       15. The cartridge of  claim 7 , wherein the cartridge is detachably attached to a micro-particle sorting apparatus. 
     
     
       16. The cartridge of  claim 7 , wherein the cavity furtherly house a pair of electrodes opposed to each other while sandwiching the moving liquid drop along a movement direction of the liquid drop discharged into the space. 
     
     
       17. The cartridge of  claim 7 , wherein the space is an airtight space. 
     
     
       18. The cartridge of  claim 7 , wherein further comprising a container for receiving discharged liquid drop. 
     
     
       19. The cartridge of  claim 18 , wherein the container communicates with the cavity of the cartridge in an airtight manner. 
     
     
       20. The cartridge of  claim 18 , wherein the container is a plastic tube. 
     
     
       21. The cartridge of  claim 18 , wherein the container is detachably attached to the cartridge. 
     
     
       22. The cartridge of  claim 7 , wherein the optical window is a cut out part of the cartridge. 
     
     
       23. The cartridge of  claim 7 , wherein the optical window comprises plastic or glass or quartz. 
     
     
       24. The cartridge of  claim 7 , wherein the cartridge is connected to a sample supplying path. 
     
     
       25. The cartridge of  claim 24 , wherein the sample supplying path is disposable. 
     
     
       26. The cartridge of  claim 7 , wherein the cartridge comprises plastic or glass. 
     
     
       27. A micro-particle sorting apparatus comprising:
 a light source configured to irradiate light to micro particles,   a flow path through which a liquid containing a micro particle flows;   an orifice through which the liquid flowing through the flow path is configured to be discharged into a space outside the flow path;   a light-irradiated portion provided at a predetermined location of the flow path and configured to be irradiated with light;   paired electrodes provided so as to be opposed to each other while sandwiching the moving liquid drop there between along a movement direction of the liquid drop discharged into the space outside the flow path; and   a cavity in which at least the orifice and the space in which the liquid drop discharged outside through the orifice moves are configured,   wherein a width of the flow path and a depth of the flow path at the orifice are set to be smaller than a width of the flow path and a depth of the flow path at the light-irradiated portion, wherein the flow path is configured to gradually decrease from upstream of the orifice in a cross-section area perpendicular to a liquid-delivering direction between the light-irradiated portion and the orifice, and   wherein the cavity has an optical window having light transmittance for light transmitted to the light-irradiated portion.   
     
     
       28. A micro particle sorting svstem of  claim 27 , comprising:
 an optical detection means that detects an optical property of the micro particle flowing through the flow path, upstream of a liquid-delivering direction with respect to the orifice.   
     
     
       29. A micro particle sorting system of  claim 27 , wherein the light source is provided on a main body of a micro particle sorting apparatus.