| US 7,485,214 B2 | ||
| Microfluidic device and method of locally concentrating electrically charged substances in a microfluidic device | ||
| Michele Palmieri, Agrate Brianza (Italy) | ||
| Assigned to STMicroelectronics S. r. l., Agrate Brianza (Italy) | ||
| Filed on Dec. 17, 2004, as Appl. No. 11/15,633. | ||
| Claims priority of application No. 03425822 (EP), filed on Dec. 23, 2003. | ||
| Prior Publication US 2005/0155860 A1, Jul. 21, 2005 | ||
| Int. Cl. B03C 5/02 (2006.01) | ||
| U.S. Cl. 204—660 [204/600; 204/601; 204/660] | 11 Claims |
| 1. A microfluidic device, comprising:
a) a microfluidic circuit having longitudinal axis; and
b) an electric field generating means arranged to establish an electric field transverse to said longitudinal axis within
at least a section of said microfluidic circuit;
wherein said electric field generating means comprises:
i) a first semiconductor region having a first type of conductivity and a second semiconductor region having an opposite type
of conductivity; and
ii) a voltage source for supplying a bias voltage between said first and said second semiconductor regions in order to concentrate
an electrically charged substance in a portion of the microfluidic circuit; and
iii) wherein at least said section of said microfluidic circuit is between said first semiconductor region and said second
semiconductor region, and wherein said first and second semiconductor regions being arranged to form at least one P-N junction.
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