Systems and methods to integrate electrical sensors comprising parallel electrodes into microfluidic devices that are manufactured using soft lithography are disclosed herein. With minimal fabrication complexity, more uniform electric fields than conventional coplanar electrodes are produced. The methods disclosed are also more suitable for the construction of complex electrical sensor networks in microfluidic devices due to greater layout flexibility and provide improved sensitivity over conventional coplanar electrodes.

A pore chip case houses a pore chip. A main body includes a chip housing space, a first chamber, and a second chamber. The pore chip is housed in the chip housing space and is supported in a perpendicular plane. The first chamber and the second chamber adjoin in the horizontal direction and are partitioned by the pore chip.

A pore device has a device main body and a sealing member. The device main body has a first chamber and a second chamber that communicate through a pore, and at least one injection port through which an electrolyte solution is injected into the first chamber and the second chamber. The device main body has inside thereof a hydrophilic group provided thereto. The sealing member is structured to seal the injection port, while the first chamber and the second chamber are filled with the electrolyte solution.

A pore device has a device main body and a sealing member. The device main body has a first chamber and a second chamber that communicate through a pore, and at least one injection port through which an electrolyte solution is injected into the first chamber and the second chamber. The device main body has inside thereof a hydrophilic group provided thereto. The sealing member is structured to seal the injection port, while the first chamber and the second chamber are filled with the electrolyte solution.

A pore device can accommodate a pore chip. A body has the internal space partitioned by the pore chip into a first chamber and a second chamber. A substrate is connected to the body and has formed thereon electrodes which are at least partially exposed to the internal space of the body. Each of the electrodes has a first metal layer formed on the substrate; and a carbon barrier layer formed in a layer above the first metal layer, in a part exposed to the internal space of the body.

A pore device can accommodate a pore chip. A body has the internal space partitioned by the pore chip into a first chamber and a second chamber. A substrate is connected to the body and has formed thereon electrodes which are at least partially exposed to the internal space of the body. Each of the electrodes has a first metal layer formed on the substrate; and a carbon barrier layer formed in a layer above the first metal layer, in a part exposed to the internal space of the body.

A biological particle counting system can include: an impedance particle counter comprising at least one sample aperture; a pump configured to pull particles through the at least one sample aperture of the impedance particle counter for counting, the pump producing a vacuum pressure; and a stepper motor configured to adjust a speed of the pump to substantially maintain the vacuum pressure.

A biological particle counting system can include: an impedance particle counter comprising at least one sample aperture; a pump configured to pull particles through the at least one sample aperture of the impedance particle counter for counting, the pump producing a vacuum pressure; and a stepper motor configured to adjust a speed of the pump to substantially maintain the vacuum pressure.