Universally applicable three-dimensional hydrodynamic microfluidic flow focusing
Abstract
We have demonstrated a microfluidic device that can not only achieve three-dimensional flow focusing but also confine particles to the center stream along the channel. The device has a sample channel of smaller height and two sheath flow channels of greater height, merged into the downstream main channel where 3D focusing effects occur. We have demonstrated that both beads and cells in our device display significantly lower CVs in velocity and position distributions as well as reduced probability of coincidental events than they do in conventional 2D-confined microfluidic channels. The improved particle confinement in the microfluidic channel is highly desirable for microfluidic flow cytometers and in