An exemplary method includes forming a sacrificial layer along sidewalls of an array of trenches that are indented into a substrate, depositing a fill layer over the sacrificial layer, and then creating an array of gaps between the fill layer and the substrate by removing the sacrificial layer along the sidewalls of the trenches, while maintaining a structural connection between the substrate and the fill layer at the floors of the trenches. The method further includes covering the substrate, the fill layer, and the gaps with a cap layer that seal fluid-tight against the substrate and the fill layer. The method further includes indenting a first reservoir and a second reservoir through the cap layer, and into the substrate and the fill layer, across the lengths of the array of gaps, so that the array of gaps connects the first reservoir in fluid communication with the second reservoir.

Techniques are described for reducing the number of angles needed in structured illumination imaging of biological samples through the use of patterned flowcells, where nanowells of the patterned flowcells are arranged in, e.g., a square array, or an asymmetrical array. Accordingly, the number of images needed to resolve details of the biological samples is reduced. Techniques are also described for combining structured illumination imaging with line scanning using the patterned flowcells.

A method for reducing sequencing by synthesis cycle time using a microfluidic device is provided. The microfluidic device comprises a flow cell having an inlet port, an outlet port, and a flow channel extending between the inlet port and the outlet port, wherein the flow channel receives an analyte of interest and one or more reagents for analyzing and detecting molecules. To aid in the acceleration of the reactions, the microfluidic device comprises a mixing device to increase the rates of diffusion of the reagents from the fluid bulk to an active surface of the flow cell. The mixing device comprises at least one of an electrothermal mixing device, an active mechanical mixing device, and a vibrational mixing device.

A flow apparatus for detecting a component on a surface is provided. The flow apparatus, comprising an inlet for receiving a solution of the components to be detected; a detection chamber in fluid connection with and downstream from the inlet, and in fluid connection with a downstream outlet, wherein the internal surface of the detection chamber comprises a plurality of detection zones and the detection zones are configured to adhere to the component to be detected such that the component is immobilised in the detection zones; a detector for detecting components immobilised on each of the detection zones; and a director for directing the flow of the solution of the components to each of the detection zones in sequence, wherein the director is provided by flow rates.

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide nanopore devices, such as nanopore sensors and/or other nanofluidic devices. In one or more embodiments, a nanopore device contains a substrate, an optional lower protective oxide layer disposed on the substrate, a membrane disposed on the lower protective oxide layer, and an optional upper protective oxide layer disposed on the membrane. The membrane has a pore and contains silicon nitride. The silicon nitride has a nitrogen to silicon ratio of about 0.98 to about 1.02 and the membrane has an intrinsic stress value of about −1,000 MPa to about 1,000 MPa. The nanopore device also contains a channel extending through at least the substrate, the lower protective oxide layer, the membrane, the upper protective oxide layer, and the upper protective silicon nitride layer.

Sub-millimeter scale three-dimensional (3D) structures are disclosed with customizable chemical properties and/or functionality. The 3D structures are referred to as drop-carrier particles. The drop-carrier particles allow the selective association of one solution (i.e., a dispersed phased) with an interior portion of each of the drop-carrier particles, while a second non-miscible solution (i.e., a continuous phase) associates with an exterior portion of each of the drop-carrier particles due to the specific chemical and/or physical properties of the interior and exterior regions of the drop-carrier particles. The combined drop-carrier particle with the dispersed phase contained therein is referred to as a particle-drop. The selective association results in compartmentalization of the dispersed phase solution into sub-microliter-sized volumes contained in the drop-carrier particles. The compartmentalized volumes can be used for single-molecule assays as well as single-cell, and other single-entity assays.

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 μm; 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 disclosure provides methods and systems for analyzing fluid samples comprising obtaining fluid samples in at least one cavity of a substrate and introducing also buffers and/or reagents in the cavity, performing nucleic acid extraction and/or purification in the cavity, and performing nucleic acid amplification in the same cavity.

The present application provides a micro-channel structure. The micro-channel structure includes a base substrate; a rail layer on the base substrate and including a first rail and a second rail spaced apart from each other; and a wall layer on a side of the rail layer distal to the base substrate, and including a first wall and a second wall at least partially spaced apart from each other, thereby forming a micro-channel between the first wall and the second wall. The micro-channel has an extension direction along a plane substantially parallel to a main surface of the base substrate, the extension direction being substantially parallel to extension directions of the first rail and the second rail along the plane substantially parallel to the main surface of the base substrate.

The present invention provides methods, devices and systems for sequencing and/or analyzing a polymer and/or polymer unit. The polymer may include but not limited to DNA, RNA, a polysaccharide, or a protein. The device includes a nano-pen, which is a bifunctional nanopore/nanoelectrode, and a second electrode. The nano-pen electrode and the second electrode form a tunnel gap. Polymers passing through the nano-pen nanopore will be directed to the tunnel gap between electrodes. The electrodes are functionalized with a recognition reagent, and the reagent can transiently bind each polymer unit during its passage. When the transient bond forms, distinctive current signals are detected and recorded. The signals are utilized to analyze and identify the polymer and/or polymer unit.