A nozzle plate of a fluid ejection head for a fluid ejection device, a fluid ejection head containing the nozzle plate, and a method for making the fluid ejection head containing the nozzle plate. The nozzle plate contains two or more arrays of nozzle holes therein and a barrier structure disposed on an exposed surface of the nozzle plate between adjacent arrays of nozzle holes, wherein the barrier structure deters cross-contamination of fluids between the adjacent arrays of nozzle holes.

The present invention relates to a contact-less priming system for loading a solution in a microfluidic device comprising: at least one microfluidic device, a pressure chamber configured to enclose said at least one microfluidic device, a pressurization unit fluidly connected to the pressure chamber and at least one closing member. The present invention also relates to a contact-less priming method for loading a solution in a microfluidic device.

The present disclosure is directed to automated systems including a microfluidic chip having one or more independently operable processing conduits. In some embodiments, the automated systems are suitable for use in sample cleanup and/or target enrichment processes, such as sample cleanup and/or target enrichment processes conducted prior to sequencing.

Reaction vessels, cartridges, devices and methods for facilitating high-level multiplexing are described herein. Such reaction vessels can include a planar frame defining a fluidic path between a first planar substrate and a second planar substrate, a fluidic interface is located at one end of the planar frame with a pair of fluidic ports, a well chamber and a pre-amplification chamber. Devices for spotting reagents in wells of high-level multiplexing reaction vessels and improved reagent solutions are also described herein.

Devices and methods for controlling collection of liquid sample are described. In an example, a microfluidic device can include an analytical device and an actuator. The actuator can be connected to the analytical device. The actuator can be operable to absorb fluid. The actuator can guide the absorbed fluid to an input layer of the analytical device. The actuator can deform in response to an occurrence of an absorption condition. A degree of deformation of the actuator indicates a volume of fluid collected by the analytical device.

A system for performing biological reactions is provided. The system includes a chip including a substrate and a plurality of reaction sites. The plurality of reaction sites are each configured to include a liquid sample of at most one nanoliter. Further, the system includes a control system configured to initiate biological reactions within the liquid samples. The system further includes a detection system configured to detect biological reactions on the chip. According to various embodiments, the chip includes at least 20000 reaction sites. In other embodiments, the chip includes at least 30000 reaction sites.

A device for processing a sample comprises a blister defined by first and second walls. The first wall is flexible allowing the blister to be divided into one or more sealed regions by an external pressure applied to a portion of the first wall. The external pressure is applied in the form of a 2-dimensional shape to form a sealed region having that shape.

A microfluidic device is disclosed which comprises a main flow channel and a partition chamber connected to a portion of same by a chamber inlet and chamber outlet. The device utilizes select cross sections to advantage capillary effects during filling and partitioning steps to isolate biological or other samples in the partition chamber for analysis and can be employed in a digital array.

There is provided a sample processing cartridge comprising a. a sample entry location; b. a closed sample processing chamber; c. a sample analysis location comprising a sample analysis well; d. a first channel fluidly connecting the sample entry location and the sample processing chamber; e. a second channel connecting the sample analysis location and the sample processing chamber, the second channel comprising a closed or closable second channel valve; wherein the sample processing chamber comprises a second channel port providing fluid connection between the second channel and the sample processing chamber, the second channel port being positioned in a sample accumulating region of the sample processing chamber. There is also provided a sample processing system comprising the cartridge, and methods of use of the cartridge and processing system in a sample processing assay.

A method for aliquoting a sample liquid using a sealing liquid in a microfluidic device includes combining the sample liquid and the sealing liquid, which have different wetting behaviors, to form a two-phase system separated by a boundary surface. The microfluidic device includes a chamber with at least one inlet channel for introducing the liquids and a plurality of cavities configured to be filled via the inlet channel. The inlet channel and the cavities have a geometry that is defined in dependence on the respective wetting behaviors of the sample liquid and the sealing liquid. The method first includes introducing the sample liquid to form a first meniscus configured by the defined geometry, e.g. concave, to fill the cavities. The method further includes introducing the sealing liquid to form a second meniscus configured by the existing, greater contact angle and the defined geometry, e.g. convex, to cover the filled cavities.