Methods for introducing exogenous material into a cell are provided, which include exposing the cell to a transient decrease in pressure in the presence of the exogenous material. Also provided are devices for performing the method of the invention.

A novel microfluidic chip is proposed for performing a chemical or biochemical test in a metered reaction volume. The microfluidic chip has a body which defines an inner flow volume. An inlet has been provided to the body for connecting the inner flow volume to the ambient space. A waste channel forms part of the inner flow volume and is in fluid communication with the inlet. A sample channel also forms part of the inner flow volume and is in fluid communication with the inlet. The sample channel includes a first hydrophobic stop and a second hydrophobic stop at a distance from the first hydrophobic stop so as to provide a metered reaction volume there between. An expelling channel is in fluid communication with the metered reaction volume of the sample channel through the first hydrophobic stop. A sample reservoir is in fluid communication with the metered reaction volume of the sample channel through the second hydrophobic stop.

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.

Examples include a device comprising integrated circuit dies molded into a molded panel. The molded panel has three-dimensional features formed therein, where the three-dimensional features are associated with the integrated circuit dies. To form the three-dimensional features, a feature formation material is deposited, the molded panel is formed, and the feature formation material is removed.

The MEMS actuator is formed by a body, which surrounds a cavity and by a deformable structure, which is suspended on the cavity and is formed by a movable portion and by a plurality of deformable elements. The deformable elements are arranged consecutively to each other, connect the movable portion to the body and are each subject to a deformation. The MEMS actuator further comprises at least one plurality of actuation structures, which are supported by the deformable elements and are configured to cause a translation of the movable portion greater than the deformation of each deformable element. The actuation structures each have a respective first piezoelectric region.

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.

A method for manufacturing a flow path device internally provided with a flow path for allowing a liquid to flow by compression bonding two or more members to each other, in which the hydrophilic property of a surface of the flow path can be maintained for a long period of time. A flow path device is manufactured by forming a hydrophilic coating film using a treatment liquid including a hydrophilizing agent in at least one member, the coating film covering a surface of the member at a side to be joined to another member, then irradiating only a joining surface of the coating film with ultraviolet rays or plasma derived from an oxygen-containing gas in the member having the coating film, and irradiating at least the joining surface with ultraviolet rays or plasma derived from an oxygen-containing gas in a member having no coating film, and compression bonding the two or more members.

A method of making a portion of a microfluidic channel includes lithographically patterning a first pattern into a first layer of photoresist disposed on a substrate, the first pattern representative of morphology of a reservoir rock; etching the first pattern into the substrate to form a patterned substrate; disposing a second layer of photoresist onto the patterned substrate; lithographically patterning a second pattern into the second layer of photoresist to reveal portions of the patterned substrate; and depositing calcite onto the exposed portions of the patterned substrate.

Disclosed herein are embodiments of a mass flow control apparatus, systems incorporating the same, and methods using the same. In one embodiment, a mass flow control apparatus comprises a flow modulating valve configured to modulate gas flow in a gas flow channel, a sensor device, such as a micro-electromechanical (MEMS) device, configured to generate a signal responsive to a condition of the gas flow, and a processing device operatively coupled to the flow modulating valve and the sensor device to control the flow modulating valve based on a signal received from the sensor device.

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 clement, 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.