Patent ID: 7294249

Claim:
A microfluidic component comprising a sandwich structure having at least one channel ( 2 ), each channel ( 2 ) having at least one inlet ( 3 ) and at least two ( 4 , 5 ) outlets, for leading through individual particles ( 17 ) in a fluid flow, the channel ( 2 ) comprising: a preparation area ( 6 ) to specifically influence and separate the particles ( 17 ), by means of dielectrophoresis; a measuring channel area ( 7 ) having at least two sensing areas arranged in series with respect to the fluid flow direction with each sensing area having electrode devices for characterizing each particle ( 17 ) by measuring particle impedance in each sensing area and particle ( 17 ) velocity; and a sorting area ( 8 ) having electrode devices for sorting particles ( 17 ) identified in the measuring channel area ( 7 ) in relation to the measured particle ( 17 ) velocity by means of dielectrophoresis; wherein the cross section of the sensing areas in the measuring channel area ( 7 ) is substantially smaller than the cross section in the preparation area and in the sorting area ( 6 and 8 ), and conductor tracks ( 12 ) which are electrically connected to the electrodes ( 13 , 14 ′, 14 ″, 20 - 30 ) in the individual areas ( 6 - 8 ) in order to transmit signals to the electrodes and signals from the electrodes.