Provided is photoactivated selective release (or PHASR) of droplets from a microwell array enabled by a photoresponsive polymer layer integrated into the microfluidic device. This photoresponsive layer is placed in between a microwell array that traps a large number of droplets and a monolithic flow chamber that can be used for recovery. By using focused light, the photoresponsive layer can either be punctured or induced to create local heating to selectively release droplets. The type of photoacoustic dye and the physical properties of the photoresponsive layer can be engineered to induce either puncture of the membrane or pushing of droplets out of the microwells with low thermal impact on the droplets. This approach has broad application in the field of soft lithography-based microfluidic devices for various applications including photoresponsive valves as well as high throughput single cell sequencing.

A method of forming a microstructured surface includes the operations of depositing electrodes on a surface of a substrate and securing a mold against the surface of the substrate containing the electrodes with a tight contact with the electrodes, the mold containing a plurality of cavities therein. Pressure is applied between the mold and the substrate to force material from the substrate into the plurality of cavities around the electrodes to form a plurality of microfeatures. The mold is separated from the substrate.

The present disclosure is drawn to inertial pumps. An inertial pump can include a microfluidic channel, a fluid actuator located in the microfluidic channel, and a check valve located in the microfluidic channel. The check valve can include a moveable valve element, a narrowed channel segment located upstream of the moveable valve element, and a blocking element formed in the microfluidic channel downstream of the moveable valve element. The narrowed channel segment can have a width less than a width of the moveable valve element so that the moveable valve element can block fluid flow through the check valve when the moveable valve element is positioned in the narrowed channel segment. The blocking element can be configured such that the blocking element constrains the moveable valve element within the check valve while also allowing fluid flow when the moveable valve element is positioned against the blocking element.

Laminated microfluidic structures and methods for manufacturing the same are provided. In some instances, a laminated microfluidic structure is provided which includes a distended region having a sipper port at the bottom and an internal channel that fluidically connects the sipper port to a location outside of the distended region. Thermoforming and/or injection molding techniques for manufacturing such laminated microfluidic structures are provided. In other instances, a laminated microfluidic structure may be co-molded with a polymeric material to produce an integrated laminated microfluidic structure and housing.

The present disclosure relates to a microfluidic chip. The microfluidic chip includes a first substrate, and the first substrate includes a sample input hole and a reaction region located downstream of the sample input hole. The reaction region includes at least one groove, an orthographic projection of each groove on the first substrate is an axisymmetric pattern, a width of the axisymmetric pattern in a first direction is not less than a width of the axisymmetric pattern in a second direction, and the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction.

A microdroplet/bubble-generating device comprising a slit and a row of a plurality of microflow paths is constructed, in such a manner that either a continuous phase or dispersion phase is supplied to the slit, and so that the end of the slit, the other supply port for the continuous phase or dispersion phase and the liquid recovery port are connected. The plurality of microflow paths each have a narrow part where the cross-sectional area of the flow channel is locally narrowed adjacent to or near the connection point between the slit and the microflow path. The continuous phase and dispersion phase that have met at the connection points flow into the narrow parts, and the dispersion phase is sheared at the narrow parts with the continuous phase flow as the driving force, forming droplets or gas bubbles of the dispersion phase. The product is recovered from the liquid recovery port.

In a general aspect, methods for manufacturing vapor cells are disclosed. In certain aspects, a method of manufacturing a vapor cell includes obtaining a dielectric body that has interior and exterior surfaces. The interior surface defines a cavity in the dielectric body, and the exterior surface defines an opening to the cavity. The method includes forming an antirelaxation coating on the interior surface of the dielectric body. The antirelaxation coating comprising an organosilane material. The method additionally includes disposing a vapor or a source of vapor in the cavity and obtaining an optical window that comprises a surface. The vapor or the source of vapor includes alkali metal atoms. The method also includes bonding the surface of the optical window to the exterior surface of the dielectric body to form a seal around the opening to the cavity.