Market Assessment for Universal Nanofluidic Cell with Loading Station

带装载站的通用纳米流体单元的市场评估

• 批准号: 544460-2019
• 负责人: Sciaini, Germán
• 金额: $ 1.09万
• 依托单位: University of Waterloo
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Idea to Innovation
• 财政年份: 2019
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2019-01-01 至 2020-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=675471
• 关键词: Market; Assessment; Universal; Nanofluidic; Cell

Commercially available Nanofluidic Chip (NFC) systems are basically two Silicon wafer based nanofabricated chips with transparent windows separated by a thin spacer (typically in the order of a few hundreds of nm). In such a NFC system, even a tiny droplet of 0.1 uL suffices for the liquid to run over the top of the spacer. This increases the effective electron beam path in a non-reproducible manner. The main problem with current NFC systems is the inability to accurately and precisely control of the final liquid layer thickness and the positioning of the liquid sample (droplet).Our innovative new universal NFC and loading station system avoid this problem entirely by providing a reservoir area (or overflow catch basin) to capture the excess fluid and drain it away from the spacer thereby leaving the viewing area unaffected.University of Waterloo (UW) NFCs allow for the excess of liquid to spill over into an adjacent reservoir, without reaching the spacer area. In addition, the special shape of the chips enables the liquid droplet to self-position in the viewing area and pre-concentrate at desired level before sealing. Our NFCs are to be loaded in a specially designed loading station for minimal to none window bulging to enable control of the effective electron beam path or liquid layer thickness, and therefore better resolution images of drop-casted specimens over large viewing areas. Moreover, UW NFCs are fabricated to fit in most commonly used sample holders.

商用纳米流体芯片 (NFC) 系统基本上是两个基于硅晶圆的纳米加工芯片，具有由薄垫片（通常约为数百纳米）分隔的透明窗口。在这样的 NFC 系统中，即使是 0.1 uL 的微小液滴也足以使液体流过垫片的顶部。这以不可再现的方式增加了有效电子束路径。当前 NFC 系统的主要问题是无法精确控制最终液层厚度和液体样品（液滴）的定位。我们创新的新型通用 NFC 和装载站系统通过提供储液区（或溢流集水盆）来捕获多余的液体并将其从垫片中排出，从而使观察区域不受影响，从而完全避免了这个问题。滑铁卢大学 (UW) NFC 允许过量的液体溢出到相邻的储液器中，而不会到达间隔区域。此外，芯片的特殊形状使液滴能够在观察区域中自行定位，并在密封前预浓缩到所需的水平。我们的 NFC 将装载在专门设计的装载站中，以最小化甚至没有窗口膨胀，从而能够控制有效的电子束路径或液体层厚度，从而在大观察区域内获得更高分辨率的滴铸样品图像。此外，UW NFC 的制造适合最常用的样品架。