Patent ID: 7931868

Claim:
A device for manipulation of limited quantities of liquids comprising: the device comprises at least one solid; the solid has surface areas in which different capillary forces act comprising: a plurality of first surface areas that have a microstructured and/or nanostructured surface, and are spaced apart from each other; each microstructured and/or nanostructured surface has a plurality of regularly arranged structure elements that are arranged in the form of a plurality of grids, wherein all of the regularly arranged structure elements in each grid are equal in shape to each other, and further wherein the shape of all of the regularly arranged structure elements in each grid is different than the shape of all of said regularly arranged structure elements in an adjacent grid; the solid and the structure elements consist of one material and are connected to one another in one piece; the plurality of regularly arranged structure elements in each of said first surface areas are elevated relative to a second surface area surrounding said plurality of first surface areas; the plurality of said first surface areas are provided with reagents; and said second surface area is flat and encompasses and abuts all of the first surface areas on all sides, and is not extending into said first surface areas, such that each of said first surface areas is a discrete area inside said second surface area; the plurality of said first surface areas having higher capillary forces than the second surface area; at least one third surface area, wherein each of said third surface areas is completely surrounded by and is lower than said second surface area; and a plurality of grooves spaced apart from the plurality of first surface areas and is completely surrounded by said second surface area, wherein the grooves are connected to one another, have a notch-shape, or have a channel structure.