A method for making ion-crystal semiconductor material based micro- and/or nanowires, MNWs, embedded into a semiconductor substrate, includes forming a structure into the semiconductor substrate, wherein the structure has each of a width and a depth less than 10 ?m; pumping an ion-crystal semiconductor material as an ion solution into the structure, wherein the pumping is achieved exclusively due to capillary forces; flowing the ion solution through the structure to fill the structure; crystallizing the ion-crystal semiconductor material inside the structure to form the MNWs; and adding electrodes to ends of the MNWs.

The present disclosure relates to digital microfluidic systems. Particularly, aspects are directed to a digital microfluidic system that includes a droplet chip having a substrate, a plurality of electrodes and corresponding plurality of conducting vias or embedded conductive posts formed in the substrate, and a dielectric layer formed over the plurality of electrodes; and a control chip having a substrate, a plurality of transistors and corresponding wiring layers formed in the substrate, and a plurality of contacts formed over the plurality of transistors. Each of the plurality of contacts is electrically connected to a corresponding transistor of the plurality of transistors, and one or more of the plurality of contacts is removably connected to one or more of the plurality of conducting vias or embedded conductive posts such that one or more of the plurality of transistors are electrically connected to one or more of the plurality of electrodes.

A substrate assembly includes a first substrate, a second substrate and a bonding member. The first substrate includes a first surface-modified region having a functionality different from that of a remainder region of the first substrate. The second substrate includes a second surface-modified region connected to the first surface-modified region through a physical interaction and having a functionality different from that of a remainder region of the second substrate. The first and second substrates cooperatively define a space therebetween. The bonding member is disposed within said space to bond said first and second substrates together. A method for bonding substrates is also disclosed.

Example sensor apparatus for microfluidic devices and related methods are disclosed. In examples disclosed herein, a method of fabricating a sensor apparatus for a microfluidic device includes etching a portion of an intermediate layer to form a sensor chamber in a substrate assembly, where the substrate assembly has a base layer and the intermediate layer, and where the base layer comprises a first material and the intermediate layer comprises a second material different than the first material. The method includes forming a first electrode and a second electrode in the sensor chamber. The method also includes forming a fluidic transport channel in fluid communication with the sensor chamber, where the fluidic transport channel comprises a third material different than the first material and the second material.

Method and systems that provide improved handling and/or culturing and/or assaying of cells, chemically active beads, or similar materials in microfluidic systems and microfluidic culture arrays.

A static expansion method is performed by expanding a volume of a testing gas from V.sub.0 to V.sub.0+V.sub.1 between a second chamber of the volume V.sub.1 which is connected to an upstream side of a measurement chamber and a first chamber of the volume V.sub.0 which is connected to an upstream side of the second chamber, wherein the first camber is in communication with the second chamber via a first valve, wherein the second chamber is in communication with the measurement chamber via each of a second valve and an orifice or porous plug, respectively. When the first valve is opened and the second valve is closed, the testing gas flows from the first chamber via the second chamber into the measurement chamber only through the orifice or porous plug.

The present disclosure relates to fluidic systems and devices for processing, extracting, or purifying one or more analytes. These systems and devices can be used for processing samples and extracting nucleic acids, for example by isotachophoresis. In particular, the systems and related methods can allow for extraction of nucleic acids, including non-crosslinked nucleic acids, from samples such as tissue or cells. The systems and devices can also be used for multiplex parallel sample processing.

The present disclosure relates to fluidic systems and devices for processing, extracting, or purifying one or more analytes. These systems and devices can be used for processing samples and extracting nucleic acids, for example by isotachophoresis. In particular, the systems and related methods can allow for extraction of nucleic acids, including non-crosslinked nucleic acids, from samples such as tissue or cells. The systems and devices can also be used for multiplex parallel sample processing.

The invention relates to a surface treatment method for treating the inner walls of a microchannel made from a polymeric material that is at least partially photocured or thermoset. Said treatment is carried out via irradiation in the air at a wavelength of less than or equal to 300 nm. The invention also relates to a method for manufacturing a microfluidic device including such a surface treatment step.

According to an aspect, there is provided a structure for a thin-film bulk acoustic resonator. The structure comprises a substrate (101) comprising a cavity (104) having at least one slanted flat surface (103) facing away from the cavity and a piezoelectric bulk material layer (102) deposited on said at least one slanted flat surface.