Abstract: Microfluidic cartridges or devices for serum separation and blood cross-match analysis are provided. The devices may include a serum separation subcircuit alone or in combination with a solute mixing subcircuit. The serum separation subcircuit promotes on-cartridge clotting of a blood sample and manipulates the flow of the separated serum sample for subsequent cross-match analysis with a second blood sample, for example. The solute mixing subcircuit includes at least two intake channels, one for a whole blood sample from, for example, a blood donor and the other for the separated serum sample from, for example, a transfusion recipient. The solute mixing subcircuit further includes a serpentine mixing channel conjoined to a downstream channel. Under vacuum generated by a conjoined finger pump, the two input streams fill the serpentine mixing and downstream channels due to capillary action, enabling visualization of an agglutination reaction.

Abstract: Microfluidic cartridges or devices for serum separation and blood cross-match analysis are provided. The devices may include a serum separation subcircuit alone or in combination with a solute mixing subcircuit. The serum separation subcircuit promotes on-cartridge clotting of a blood sample and manipulates the flow of the separated serum sample for subsequent cross-match analysis with a second blood sample, for example. The solute mixing subcircuit includes at least two intake channels, one for a whole blood sample from, for example, a blood donor and the other for the separated serum sample from, for example, a transfusion recipient. The solute mixing subcircuit further includes a serpentine mixing channel conjoined to a downstream channel. Under vacuum generated by a conjoined finger pump, the two input streams fill the serpentine mixing and downstream channels due to capillary action, enabling visualization of an agglutination reaction.

Abstract: Microfluidic cartridges or devices for serum separation and blood cross-match analysis are provided. The devices may include a serum separation subcircuit alone or in combination with a solute mixing subcircuit. The serum separation subcircuit promotes on-cartridge clotting of a blood sample and manipulates the flow of the separated serum sample for subsequent cross-match analysis with a second blood sample, for example. The solute mixing subcircuit includes at least two intake channels, one for a whole blood sample from, for example, a blood donor and the other for the separated serum sample from, for example, a transfusion recipient. The solute mixing subcircuit further includes a serpentine mixing channel conjoined to a downstream channel. Under vacuum generated by a conjoined finger pump, the two input streams fill the serpentine mixing and downstream channels due to capillary action, enabling visualization of an agglutination reaction.

Abstract: Microfluidic cartridges or devices for serum separation and blood cross-match analysis are provided. The devices may include a serum separation subcircuit alone or in combination with a solute mixing subcircuit. The serum separation subcircuit promotes on-cartridge clotting of a blood sample and manipulates the flow of the separated serum sample for subsequent cross-match analysis with a second blood sample, for example. The solute mixing subcircuit includes at least two intake channels, one for a whole blood sample from, for example, a blood donor and the other for the separated serum sample from, for example, a transfusion recipient. The solute mixing subcircuit further includes a serpentine mixing channel conjoined to a downstream channel. Under vacuum generated by a conjoined finger pump, the two input streams fill the serpentine mixing and downstream channels due to capillary action, enabling visualization of an agglutination reaction.

Abstract: A circular chemical mechanical polishing pad that includes a polishing surface having a concentrically located origin. The polishing surface includes groove sets each containing grooves arranged in a pattern in which ones of the grooves in one groove set cross ones of the grooves in another set. The grooves in each groove set are configured and arranged so that the fraction of the polishing surface that is grooved, as measured along any circle that is concentric with the origin and crosses the grooves, is substantially constant, i.e., within about 25% of its average.

Abstract: A polishing pad (20) for polishing a wafer (32) or other article, the pad having a groove network (60) configured to increase the residence time polishing medium (46) on the pad. The groove network has a first portion (72) that may extend substantially radially outwardly and an oscillating portion (74) that begins at a transition point (76) and is configured to slow the radially outward flow of the polishing medium.

Abstract: A chemical mechanical polishing pad (100) having a circular polishing track (124) and a concentric center (116). The polishing pad (100) includes a polishing layer (104) having a groove pattern containing a plurality of grooves (128) each extending through the polishing track (124). The plurality of grooves have an angular pitch that varies in a circumferential direction about the concentric center (116) of the pad (100) and the radial pitch between all adjacent grooves (128) within the wafer track (124) is unequal.

Abstract: A polishing pad (104) having an annular polishing track (122) and including a plurality of grooves (148) that each traverse the polishing track. Each groove includes a plurality of flow control segments (CS1–CS3) and at least two discontinuities in slope (D1, D2) located within the polishing track.

Abstract: A polishing pad (104, 300) having an annular polishing track (152, 320) and a plurality of groups (160, 308) of grooves (112, 304) repeated circumferentially about the rotational center (128) of the pad. The plurality of grooves in each group are arranged along a trajectory (164, 312) in an offset and overlapping manner so as to provide a plurality of overlapping steps (172, 316) within the annular polishing track. The groups may be arranged in spaced-apart or nested relation with one another.