System for real time, non-invasive metrology of microfluidic chips

US6868347B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• The Regents of the University of California · US

Inventors

• Guann-Pyng Li · Irvine, US
• Mark Bachman · Irvine, US
• Zhongping Chen · Irvine, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Mar 19, 2003
• Grant date: Mar 15, 2005
• Expiry date: Apr 30, 2023

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01B2290/70
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A system integration of multicomponent technologies includes an automated microfluidic probe station and the use of that station for the systematic study of nonideal, nonhomogeneous biological fluids such as blood in microfluidic chips. The probe station provides for real-time, non-invasive metrology of microfluidic chips employing optical coherence tomography and optical Doppler tomography to allow for collection of flow data at any location or depth within a microfluidics chip. Also included is a programmable fluidic loader and actuator platform as part of the probe station, and a semi-automated rapid prototyping tool used to fabricate the microfluidic chips measured on the probe station. The resulting data library produced by measurements on the probe station contains all the necessary information needed to develop mature, accurate microfluidic modeling and simulation CAD tools.