Claims
- 1. A separating device comprising:
- a channel having a defined length and height and surrounded by an insulating material, and having a liquid disposed within the channel;
- introduction means for introducing a liquid sample into the channel;
- gating means, coupled to the channel, for establishing at least one charge packet in the channel in response to an applied input signal; and
- transport means for moving the charge packet along the channel.
- 2. The device of claim 1 wherein the channel height is equal to or less than the Debye length of the liquid.
- 3. The device of claim 1 where the gate means further comprises a plurality of spaced-apart, electronically conductive, gates coupled to the channel and alternately disposable between a high voltage state and a low voltage state.
- 4. The device of claim 3 wherein the channel has an inner wall, and wherein at least one gate electrode applies a voltage across the insulating material surrounding the channel, thereby repelling ions away from at least one surface of the channel wall.
- 5. The device of claim 1 wherein the transport means comprises means for applying a voltage varying signal to the gating means.
- 6. The device of claim 1 further comprising at least one electronic detector disposed along said channel to detect the presence of an ionic species by measuring the conductivity of the channel.
- 7. The device of claim 1 wherein the channel has at least one end in fluid communication with a reservoir that contains the liquid.
- 8. The device of claim 1 wherein the channel is formed upon a semiconductor wafer.
- 9. The device of claim 3 wherein the gates are formed from polysilicon.
- 10. The device of claim 1 wherein the insulating material is formed from an assembly which includes an inside layer and an outside layer, wherein the inside layer is silicon nitride and the outside layer is silicon dioxide.
Parent Case Info
This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 08/134,965, filed Oct. 12, 1993, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,374,834.
US Referenced Citations (3)
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
0457748A1 |
Nov 1991 |
EPX |
Non-Patent Literature Citations (3)
Entry |
Lee et al. (1990) "Direct Control of the Electroosmosis in Capillary Zone Electrophoresis by Using an External Electric Field", Anal. Chem., 62:1550-1552. |
Manz et al. (1992) "Planar Chips Technology for Miniaturization and Integration of Separation Techniques into Monitoring Systems" (Capillary Electrophoresis on a Chip), J. Chromatog., 593:253-258. |
Li (1992) "Capillary Electrophoresis-principles, practice and applications", J. Chromatog., 52:1-30, 55-139, 145-154, 398-540, 541-553. |
Continuations (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
134965 |
Oct 1993 |
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