Silicon-based sleeve devices for chemical reactions

US5589136A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• The Regents of the University of California · US

Inventors

• M. Allen Northrup · Berkeley, US
• Raymond P. Mariella, Jr. · Danville, US
• Anthony V. Carrano · Livermore, US
• Joseph W. Balch · Livermore, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jun 20, 1995
• Grant date: Dec 31, 1996
• Expiry date: Jun 20, 2015

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01N2021/0346
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A silicon-based sleeve type chemical reaction chamber that combines heaters, such as doped polysilicon for heating, and bulk silicon for convection cooling. The reaction chamber combines a critical ratio of silicon and silicon nitride to the volume of material to be heated (e.g., a liquid) in order to provide uniform heating, yet low power requirements. The reaction chamber will also allow the introduction of a secondary tube (e.g., plastic) into the reaction sleeve that contains the reaction mixture thereby alleviating any potential materials incompatibility issues. The reaction chamber may be utilized in any chemical reaction system for synthesis or processing of organic, inorganic, or biochemical reactions, such as the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and/or other DNA reactions, such as the ligase chain reaction, which are examples of a synthetic, thermal-cycling-based reaction. The reaction chamber may also be used in synthesis instruments, particularly those for DNA amplification and synthesis.