US 12,220,697 B2
Microfluidic device with programmable switching elements
Keith J. Breinlinger, Emeryville, CA (US); and Johannes Paul Sluis, Emeryville, CA (US)
Assigned to Bruker Cellular Analysis, Emeryville, CA (US)
Filed by BERKELEY LIGHTS, INC., Emeryville, CA (US)
Filed on May 17, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/321,974.
Application 17/321,974 is a continuation of application No. PCT/US2019/062063, filed on Nov. 18, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/769,482, filed on Nov. 19, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2021/0339249 A1, Nov. 4, 2021
Int. Cl. B01L 3/00 (2006.01); B03C 5/00 (2006.01); B03C 5/02 (2006.01)
CPC B01L 3/502715 (2013.01) [B01L 3/50273 (2013.01); B01L 3/502761 (2013.01); B03C 5/005 (2013.01); B03C 5/026 (2013.01); B01L 2200/0652 (2013.01); B01L 2300/0645 (2013.01); B01L 2400/0424 (2013.01)] 29 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A microfluidic device, comprising:
a circuit substrate made of a semiconductor material in which circuit elements can be formed, said circuit substrate comprising a surface;
a chamber defined in part by said circuit substrate surface, wherein said chamber is configured to contain a fluidic medium;
a first electrode disposed to be in electrical contact with said fluidic medium;
a second electrode disposed to be electrically insulated from said fluidic medium;
a plurality of dielectrophoresis (DEP) electrodes at different locations on or proximate to said circuit substrate surface, each disposed to be in electrical contact with said fluidic medium;
a plurality of switch mechanisms, each switch mechanism of said plurality of switch mechanisms disposed between a corresponding one of said DEP electrodes and said second electrode, wherein said each switch mechanism is switchable between an OFF state in which said corresponding DEP electrode is electrically isolated from said second electrode and an ON state in which said corresponding DEP electrode is electrically connected with said second electrode;
a plurality of photosensitive elements; and
a plurality of control circuits, each control circuit of said plurality of control circuits operatively connected with a corresponding one photosensitive element of said photosensitive elements and a corresponding one or more switch mechanisms of said switch mechanisms, wherein each said corresponding one photosensitive element is configured to generate an output signal comprising instructions for controlling said corresponding one or more switch mechanisms in response to a modulated light beam directed onto said corresponding one photosensitive element, and said each control circuit comprises or is associated with a memory, said each control circuit configured to receive said output signal from said corresponding one photosensitive element and at least temporarily store said output signal in said memory, and
wherein said each control circuit is configured to control whether said corresponding one or more switch mechanisms is in said OFF state or said ON state for each time interval of a succession of time intervals based on said instructions in said stored output signal.