Patent ID: 7980272

Claim:
A microfluidic valve including: a platform that comprises upper and lower substrates combined facing each other; a channel, having a first depth, formed between the upper and lower substrates, the channel being provided to allow flow of a fluid from a first end to a second end of the channel; a valve gap that is disposed in at least a first region of the channel and has a second depth which is smaller than the first depth; and a valve plug that is disposed in the first region to fill the valve gap so as to block the flow of the fluid from the first end to the second end of the channel through the valve gap, wherein the valve plug is formed of a valve material including a phase change material and a plurality of exothermic particles, wherein the phase change material is solid at room temperature, and the plurality of exothermic particles emit an amount of heat sufficient to melt the phase change material by absorbing energy so as to allow the flow of the fluid from the first end to the second end of the channel through the valve gap.