Light-Powered Microfluidic Cell Separator and Imager

描述(申请人提供)：这项研究的最终目标是创造一种能够进行细胞分类和诊断的光能微流控设备，并由一种廉价的光源驱动--芯片上的医学实验室。整个设备将是完全便携的，使复杂的医疗诊断能够在几乎任何位置进行，即独立于环境。这项提议的目的是对制造这些芯片的新方法进行探索性研究，并探索通过独特的制造工艺实现激励和检测的新概念。此外，还介绍了消除对机械扫描光束的需要的全新方法。到目前为止，使用光学陷阱来驱动泵和阀门以控制流体流动和执行细胞分离的光学驱动微流控通道需要对光束进行机械光栅化。必须机械地对这些光束进行光栅化，严重限制了该设备的可扩展性。我们提出的新方法将使机械泵和阀的光学驱动成为可能--而不需要移动一根横梁。值得注意的是，这种新技术的可伸缩性没有限制。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The ultimate goal of this research is the creation of a light-powered, microfluidic device that is capable of cell sorting and diagnosis and is driven by an inexpensive light source - a medical laboratory on a chip. The entire device would be completely portable enabling sophisticated medical diagnosis to be performed at virtually any location, i.e., independent of environment. The intent of this proposal is to do exploratory research into novel new methods of manufacturing these chips, and to investigate new concepts in excitation and detection made possible through the unique fabrication process. In addition, entirely new methods that eliminate the need for mechanically scanning optical beams are introduced. To date, optically actuated microfluidic channels that use optical traps to power the pumps and valves that control fluid flow and perform the cell separation require mechanical rastering of a beam (or beams). Having to mechanically raster these beams severely limits the scalability of the device. We propose new methods that will make it possible to optically power mechanical pumps and valves - without the necessity of moving a single beam. Significantly, there is no limit to the scalability of this new technique.