XYZ (Chip): Patterning Flow at the Microscale: Open Architecture Design for Integrated Fluidic Chips

Princeton University, Princeton NJ

Investigators

Abstract

ABSTRACT CTS-0088774 Sandra Troian Princeton University Initiatives to miniaturize and integrate multiple functionalities for chemical analysis and synthesis into a hand held device have generated a quest for efficient methods to transport ultra small volumes of liquid through networked arrays. We recently discovered a non-electronic phenomenon that ideally lends itself to the construction of a complete chemical reactor on the surface of an integrated circuit (IC). The open architecture design uses a thermally based process for routing and reacting nanoliter to picoliter volumes of liquid along selected pathways of a chemically micropattern surface. The pathways and reaction sites can be actively addressed from an underlying integrated chip whose design is well matched in size and output voltage. The phenomenon relies on thermocapillary transport of liquid on a surface of structured wettability produced by micropatterning a self-assembled monolayer. Not only does this design couple the benefits of microelectronic circuitry functionality on a single chip. The goal is to use on-chip active matrix circuits to switch subsurface heating elements on and off by addressing individual pixels. This proposed technology for routing and reacting microvolumes of liquid is low voltage, low-current and has no moving parts. Such a reactor design will find a multitude of users ranging from automated studies of fluid flow in digitally reconfigurable surface channels to the identification of complex mixtures in learnable reaction sequences - all on a single chip. The configuration allows for the eventual development of wristwatch mounted devices for rapid sensing and analysis of bodily fluids or airborne chemical agents. The development and design of this integrated "wet" chip requires a high degree of fundamental understanding of the fluidic transport and wafer integration. The program combines complementary skills form several groups to build a strong experimental and theoretical effort. Experimental techniques for manipulating rectilinear, bent and split streams as well as discrete droplets. Integration of microelectronic circuitry with open architecture microfluidic. Theoretical understanding of the capabilities of thermocapillary transport from a continuum and molecular viewpoint. The collaboration includes investigators from chemical and electrical engineering, chemistry and physics. The principal investigators have a strong record in attracting and advising a diverse group of graduate students at all levels, many of whom have won departmental and school-wide awards for their research projects. These investigators are also well situated in an area of New Jersey in which there are many industries specifically focused on emerging biofluidic technologies. Several companies have already requested samples of the proposed chip for tests of biological assays.