Claims
- 1. An electrospray device comprising:
a chip having a microchannel extending to an edge of the chip; a cover; and an emitter film having a polygonal tip sandwiched between the chip and the cover such that the polygonal tip extends from such edge of the chip.
- 2. The electrospray device of claim 1 and further comprising a reservoir formed in the chip and coupled to the microchannel.
- 3. The electrospray device of claim 1 wherein the tip of the emitter film is triangular in shape.
- 4. The electrospray device of claim 3 wherein the tip of the emitter film has an apex angle of between 40 and 140 degrees.
- 5 The electrospray device of claim 3 wherein the tip of the emitter film has an apex angle of approximately 90 degrees.
- 6. The electrospray device of claim 1 wherein the emitter film comprises a body portion, and a triangular tip extending from the body portion.
- 7. The electrospray device of claim 6 wherein the body portion is sandwiched between the chip and the cover, and has an edge substantially aligned with edges of the chip and the cover.
- 8. The electrospray device of claim 7 wherein the tip is located on the edge of the body that is aligned with the edges of the chip and cover, and the tip is approximately coaxial with the channel and extends from the edges.
- 9. The electrospray device emitter of claim 1 wherein the polygonal electrospray emitter is formed of a parylene.
- 10. The electrospray device of claim 9 wherein the chip is formed of cyclo olefin polymer.
- 11. An electrospray device comprising:
a chip having a microchannel with a first end extending to an edge of the chip; a reservoir coupled to the microchannel; a cover; an emitter film having a polygonal tip sandwiched between the chip and the cover such that the polygonal tip extends from such edge of the chip; and a power supply coupled to the reservoir.
- 12. The electrospray device of claim 11 and further comprising a counter electrode positioned a desired distance from the polygonal tip.
- 13. The electrospray device of claim 11 wherein the polygonal electrospray emitter comprises a triangular shape or trapezoidal shape.
- 14. The electrospray device of claim 11 wherein the emitter film is formed of a parylene.
- 15. The nanospray emitter of claim 14 wherein the chip comprises cyclo olefin polymer.
- 16. An electrospray device comprising:
a chip having a microchannel with a first end extending to an edge of the chip; a reservoir coupled to the microchannel; a cover; an emitter film having a polygonal tip sandwiched between the chip and the cover such that the polygonal tip extends from such edge of the chip; a power supply coupled to the reservoir; and a counter electrode positioned a desired distance from the polygonal tip wherein a voltage across the power supply and counter electrode causes a Taylor cone of fluid from the channel to form on the tip.
- 17. The electrospray device of claim 16 and further comprising a mass spectrometer having an orifice positioned opposite the Taylor cone and spaced from the tip sufficiently to receive an electrospray from the Taylor cone.
- 18. A method of making an electrospray device, the method comprising:
forming a microchannel on a substrate running to an edge of the substrate; obtaining a thin film emitter having a body portion with a polygonal tip on an edge of the body portion; bonding the substrate and a cover with at least part of the body portion of the thin film emitter between the substrate and cover such that the tip extends from the channel at the end of the edge of the substrate.
- 19. The method of claim 18 wherein the thin film emitter is formed of parylene.
- 20. The method of claim 19 wherein the substrate is formed of a cyclo olefin polymer plastic plate.
- 21. The method of claim 18 and further comprising creating an embossing master that is used to form the microchannel.
- 22. The method of claim 21, wherein the embossing master is formed from a silicon based substrate.
- 23. The method of claim 18 wherein the thin film emitter is obtained by patterning a parylene layer on a substrate in the shape of the desired emitter.
- 24. The method of claim 23 wherein the parylene is patterned by lithography followed by a plasma etch.
- 25. The method of claim 24 wherein the patterned parylene is peeled off the substrate in an isopropyl alcohol solution.
- 26. An electrospray device comprising:
a chip having a covered microfluidic structure that delivers fluid to an edge of the chip; and an emitter having a tip coupled to the edge of the chip and extending therefrom, wherein the tip has an apex shaped to facilitate formation of a Taylor cone from fluid delivered to the edge of the chip.
- 27. The electrospray device of claim 26 wherein the tip is triangular shaped.
- 28. The electrospray device of claim 26 wherein the apex is curved.
- 29. The electrospray device of claim 26 wherein the microfluidic structure comprises a channel, and where a width of the emitter is wider than a width of the channel.
- 30. The electrospray device of claim 29 wherein the emitter is approximately coaxial with the channel.
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/342,625, filed Dec. 21, 2002, which is incorporated herein by reference.
GOVERNMENT FUNDING
[0002] The invention described herein was made with U.S. Government support under agreement number ECS-9876771 awarded by National Science Foundation. The United States Government has certain rights in the invention.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60366448 |
Mar 2002 |
US |