US 11,867,644 B2
Device for tuning microfluidic droplet frequency and synchronizing phase for serial femtosecond crystallography
Alexandra Ros, Phoenix, AZ (US); Daihyun Kim, Mesa, AZ (US); Austin Echelmeier, Tempe, AZ (US); Jorvani Cruz Villarreal, Tempe, AZ (US); Ana Egatz-Gomez, Phoenix, AZ (US); and Sebastian Quintana, Phoenix, AZ (US)
Assigned to ARIZONA BOARD OF REGENTS ON BEHALF OF ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY, Scottsdale, AZ (US)
Filed by ARIZONA BOARD OF REGENTS ON BEHALF OF ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY, Scottsdale, AZ (US)
Filed on Apr. 1, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/220,357.
Application 17/220,357 is a continuation of application No. 16/616,189, granted, now 10,969,350, previously published as PCT/US2018/033989, filed on May 22, 2018.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/630,105, filed on Feb. 13, 2018.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/509,538, filed on May 22, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2021/0302334 A1, Sep. 30, 2021
Int. Cl. G01N 23/20025 (2018.01); B33Y 80/00 (2015.01); B01L 3/02 (2006.01); B01L 3/00 (2006.01)
CPC G01N 23/20025 (2013.01) [B01L 3/0241 (2013.01); B01L 3/50273 (2013.01); B33Y 80/00 (2014.12); B01L 2300/0867 (2013.01); G01N 2223/602 (2013.01)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for synchronizing water droplet phase of a microfluidic water droplet-in-oil stream with a phase of an x-ray free electron laser, the system comprising:
a microfluidic T-junction phase synchronizer, the microfluidic T-junction phase synchronizer interfaced to:
an upstream water-in-oil droplet generator device at a first inlet of the microfluidic T-junction phase synchronizer via a first capillary;
a downstream water droplet detector at an outlet of the microfluidic T-junction phase synchronizer via a second capillary; and
an upstream sacrificial oil source at a second inlet of the microfluidic T-junction phase synchronizer via a third capillary;
wherein the microfluidic T-junction phase synchronizer
injects sacrificial oil received at the second inlet from the upstream sacrificial oil source into a microfluidic water droplet-in-oil stream received at the first inlet from the upstream water in oil droplet generator device, and
outputs the microfluidic water droplet-in-oil stream to the downstream droplet detector;
a controller configured to adjust the water droplet phase of the microfluidic water droplet-in-oil stream by controllably adjusting a flow rate of the sacrificial oil injected by the microfluidic T-junction phase synchronizer into the microfluidic water droplet-in-oil stream; and
a flow rate control splitting junction with a first output interfaced to the second inlet of the microfluidic T-junction phase synchronizer and an input interfaced to the sacrificial oil source, wherein the controller is configured to control the flow rate of the injected sacrificial oil by operating the flow rate control splitting junction,
wherein the flow rate control splitting junction includes a second output interfaced to an excess oil reservoir, and wherein the controller is configured to operate the flow rate control splitting junction to control a proportion of the sacrificial oil flow through the flow rate control splitting junction that is directed to the second inlet of the microfluidic T-junction phase synchronizer and a proportion of the sacrificial oil that is directed to the excess oil reservoir.