IP Library Granted Patent US 9,313,833
Granted Patent B2
US 9,313,833 · App. 14/601,922 · Granted Apr 12, 2016

Microwave heating of aqueous samples on a micro-optical-electro-mechanical system

Inventor: Neil Reginald Beer (Pleasanton, CA)
Assignee: Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC
H05B6/802H05B6/80
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,313,833
App. No.
14/601,922
Granted
Apr 12, 2016
Kind
B2
Abstract

Apparatus for heating a sample includes a microchip; a microchannel flow channel in the microchip, the microchannel flow channel containing the sample; a microwave source that directs microwaves onto the sample for heating the sample; a wall section of the microchannel flow channel that receives the microwaves and enables the microwaves to pass through wall section of the microchannel flow channel, the wall section the microchannel flow channel being made of a material that is not appreciably heated by the microwaves; a carrier fluid within the microchannel flow channel for moving the sample in the microchannel flow channel, the carrier fluid being made of a material that is not appreciably heated by the microwaves; wherein the microwaves pass through wall section of the microchannel flow channel and heat the sample.

Claims (25)

1. A micro-optical-electro-mechanical system apparatus for heating a sample, comprising:

a microchip;

a droplet maker operatively connected to said microchip;

microreactor droplets produced by said droplet maker, said microreactor droplets containing the sample;

a microchannel flow channel in said microchip, said microchannel flow channel containing said microreactor droplets containing the sample;

a microwave source that directs microwaves onto said microreactor droplets containing the sample for heating the sample, wherein said microwave source is a microwave source that produce microwaves having a frequency within the range of 0.3 to 300 GHz and wherein said microwave source directs said microwaves onto said microreactor droplets containing the sample for heating the sample, and wherein said microwave source includes a microwave antenna;

a wall section of said microchannel flow channel that receives said microwaves and enables said microwaves to pass through said wall section of said microchannel flow channel, said wall section of said microchannel flow channel being made of silicon or glass;

a carrier fluid within said microchannel flow channel for moving the sample in said microchannel flow channel, said carrier fluid being made of oil; wherein said microwaves pass through said wall section of said microchannel flow channel and pass through said oil and heat the sample.

2. The micro-optical-electro-mechanical system apparatus for heating a sample of claim 1 wherein said microwave source that directs microwaves onto said microreactor droplets containing the sample for heating the sample includes a microwave generator.

3. A micro-optical-electro-mechanical system apparatus for heating a sample, comprising:

a microchip;

a droplet maker operatively connected to said microchip;

microreactor droplets produced by said droplet maker, said microreactor droplets containing the sample;

a microchannel flow channel in said microchip, said microchannel flow channel containing said microreactor droplets containing the sample;

a microwave source that directs microwaves onto said microreactor droplets containing the sample for heating the sample, wherein said microwave source is a microwave source that produce microwaves having a frequency within the range of 0.3 to 300 GHz and wherein said microwave source directs said microwaves onto said microreactor droplets containing the sample for heating the sample includes an upper microwave antenna and a lower microwave antenna;

a wall section of said microchannel flow channel that receives said microwaves and enables said microwaves to pass through said wall section of said microchannel flow channel, said wall section of said microchannel flow channel being made of silicon or glass;

a carrier fluid within said microchannel flow channel for moving said microreactor droplets containing the sample in said microchannel flow channel, said carrier fluid being made of oil; wherein said microwaves pass through said wall section of said microchannel flow channel and pass through said oil and heat the sample.

4. A micro-optical-electro-mechanical system apparatus for heating a sample, comprising:

a microchip;

a droplet maker operatively connected to said microchip;

microreactor droplets produced by said droplet maker, said microreactor droplets containing the sample;

a microchannel flow channel in said microchip, said microchannel flow channel containing said microreactor droplets containing the sample;

a microwave source that directs microwaves onto said microreactor droplets containing the sample for heating the sample, wherein said microwave source is a microwave source that produce microwaves having a frequency within the range of 0.3 to 300 GHz and wherein said microwave source directs said microwaves having a frequency within the range of 0.3 to 300 GHz onto the sample for heating the sample, and wherein said microwave source includes an upper microwave generator and a lower microwave generator;

a wall section of said microchannel flow channel that receives said microwaves having a frequency within the range of 0.3 to 300 GHz and enables said microwaves having a frequency within the range of 0.3 to 300 GHz to pass through said wall section of said microchannel flow channel, said wall section of said microchannel flow channel being made of silicon or glass;

a carrier fluid within said microchannel flow channel for moving the sample in said microchannel flow channel, said carrier fluid being made of a oil; wherein said microwaves having a frequency within the range of 0.3 to 300 GHz pass through said wall section of said microchannel flow channel and pass through said oil and heat the sample.

Assignments (2)
CONFIRMATORY LICENSE Recorded Mar 30, 2015
From: LAWRENCE LIVERMORE NATIONAL SECURITY, LLC
To: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Reel/Frame 035283/0469 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 27, 2015
From: BEER, NEIL REGINALD
To: LAWRENCE LIVERMORE NATIONAL SECURITY, LLC
Reel/Frame 034819/0422 →
Continuity (3)
Division 12326594 · Dec 2, 2008
Provisional Application 61038552 · Mar 21, 2008
Related Publication 20150129584A1 · May 14, 2015