Micromachined flow-through filter-chamber for chemical reactions on beads

A new flow-through micromachined device for chemical reactions on beads has been designed, manufactured, and characterized. The device has an uncomplicated planar design and microfabrication process. Both nonmagnetic and magnetic beads can be collected in the reaction chamber without the use of external magnets. The sample flow-through volume of liquid or gas is adjustable and unlimited. The device is sealed with Pyrex to allow real time optical detection of the chemical reactions. At a constant pressure of 3 kPa at the inlet the flow rate for water is about 3.5 mu l/min without beads in the filter chamber, for all the designs. The smallest reaction chamber has a volume of 0.5 nl and can collect approximately 50 beads with a diameter of 5.50 mu m. At a constant pressure of 3 kPa at the inlet, the flow rate for water is about 2.0 mu l/min when the reaction chamber is completely packed with beads. Hence, the flow rate decreases with about 40% when the reaction chamber is packed with beads. The flow-through microfluidic device is not sensitive to gas bubbles, and clogging of the filter is rare and reversible. The beads are easy to remove from the reaction chamber making the micromachined flow-through device reusable. A new and simple technique for fluid interconnection is developed. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.