Fabrication of a microfluidic cell analyzer in a microchannel using impedance spectroscopy

The design, fabrication techniques and characterization of an on-chip flow-cytometer device as well as the packaging approach is described. The device consists of planar microelectrodes situated on one or both sides of a micro-channel connected to an electronic detection circuitry. Simulations of the cells effect on the channel impedance are presented and compared with real measurements. Efforts have particularly been focused on realizing an interconnecting setup to provide easy electrical and fluidic connections, to allow good monitoring and easy handling of the chip. The authors' cell analyzer is aimed at diagnostic applications for cell counting and separation in hematology (blood cells, leukocytes and reticulocytes). Another possible application is a micro-cell sorter that can be used to separate abnormal cell types that are present in samples at very low number such as cancer cells (cancer cytology).