Patent ID: 6120666
Filing Date: 2000-09-19
Classification: B01F,B01L,G01N,Y10S,Y10T

Abstract:
An apparatus for the simultaneous spatial confinement of material streams on a substrate, comprising:a focusing chamber formed in a surface of the substrate;first and second sample channels formed in the surface of said substrate for carrying sample fluid streams therethrough, said sample channels having respective first ends in fluid communication with a source of a sample fluid and respective second ends in fluid communication with said focusing chamber;first, second, and third focusing channels formed in the surface of said substrate for carrying focusing fluid streams therethrough, said focusing channels being formed such that said first sample channel is positioned between said first and second focusing channels and said second sample channel is positioned between said second and third focusing channels, said focusing channels having respective first ends in fluid communication with a source of focusing fluid and respective second ends in fluid communication with said focusing chamber;first and second waste channels formed in the surface of said substrate, said waste channels having respective first ends in fluid communication with said focusing chamber and having respective second ends in fluid communication with a waste reservoir; andmeans operatively connected to the source of the sample fluids and the source of focusing fluid for driving the respective streams of the sample and focusing fluids through the respective channels into said focusing chamber such that the focusing fluid streams spatially confine the first and second sample fluid streams within said focusing chamber.