Abstract: Structures for supporting the filling of wells, in particular in microfluidic devices and provides a microfluidic device, comprising a substrate with at least a first horizontal channel which continues as a first vertical chimney channel into a first well having a greater depth than the first horizontal channel with respect to an upper surface of the substrate, wherein the first vertical channel is half open to the volume of the first well. A method for filling a well of a microfluidic device using the device is also an object of the disclosure.

Abstract: A microfluidic array, a method for producing same, a measuring system comprising the microfluidic array, and a use.

Abstract: A microfluidic device comprises a first substrate (102) made of a first polymer material and a second substrate (104) made of a second polymer material, the first (102) and second (104) substrates having respective bonding surfaces (23, 41), at least one of the bonding surfaces (41) having channel formations (14) so that, when the bonding surfaces (23, 41) are bonded by surface deformation to one another, the bonded first and second substrates (102, 104) and the channel formations (14) form at least part of a microfluidic channel network comprising a plurality of microfluidic channels, wherein one or more indicator pits (11), separate to the channel formations (14) defining the microfluidic channel network, are formed in at least one of the bonding surfaces (23, 41), so that surface deformation caused by the bonding process causes a change of configuration of the one or more indicator pits (11).

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a microfluidic device comprises molding a substrate using a master die having at least one outer stepped formation; and forming at least one microstructured formation having an outer rim, the depth of the outer rim being shallower than that of the microstructured formation.

Abstract: A microfluidic device includes a first substrate made of a first polymer material and a second substrate made of a second polymer material, the first and second substrates having respective bonding surfaces, at least one of the bonding surfaces having channel formations so that, when the bonding surfaces are bonded by surface deformation to one another, the bonded first and second substrates and the channel formations form at least part of a microfluidic channel network comprising a plurality of microfluidic channels, wherein one or more indicator pits, separate to the channel formations defining the microfluidic channel network, are formed in at least one of the bonding surfaces, so that surface deformation caused by the bonding process causes a change of configuration of the one or more indicator pits.

Abstract: A microfluidic device comprises a first substrate (102) made of a first polymer material and a second substrate (104) made of a second polymer material, the first (102) and second (104) substrates having respective bonding surfaces (23, 41), at least one of the bonding surfaces (41) having channel formations (14) so that, when the bonding surfaces (23, 41) are bonded by surface deformation to one another, the bonded first and second substrates (102, 104) and the channel formations (14) form at least part of a microfluidic channel network comprising a plurality of microfluidic channels, wherein one or more indicator pits (11), separate to the channel formations (14) defining the microfluidic channel network, are formed in at least one of the bonding surfaces (23, 41), so that surface deformation caused by the bonding process causes a change of configuration of the one or more indicator pits (11).

Abstract: A microfluidic device comprises a first substrate made of a first polymer material and a second substrate made of a second material, the first and second substrates having respective bonding surfaces, at least one of the bonding surfaces having fluid-carrying formations so that, when the bonding surfaces are bonded by surface deformation to one another, the bonded first and second substrates and the fluid-carrying formations form at least part of a microfluidic channel network comprising a plurality of microfluidic channels, in which one or more bonding formations, separate to the fluid-carrying formations defining the microfluidic channel network, are formed so as to roughen at least one of the bonding surfaces.

Abstract: A microfluidic device includes a first substrate made of a first polymer material and a second substrate made of a second polymer material, the first and second substrates having respective bonding surfaces, at least one of the bonding surfaces having channel formations so that, when the bonding surfaces are bonded by surface deformation to one another, the bonded first and second substrates and the channel formations form at least part of a microfluidic channel network comprising a plurality of microfluidic channels, wherein one or more indicator pits, separate to the channel formations defining the microfluidic channel network, are formed in at least one of the bonding surfaces, so that surface deformation caused by the bonding process causes a change of configuration of the one or more indicator pits.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a batch of sample containers optimized for culturing particular animal cells or binding particular proteins under particular growth conditions. When a customer requires a batch of sample containers, an appropriate surface is first selected by a testing process. A test container is provided which has a surface subdivided into a plurality of test areas, for example in a two-dimensional square array. Each test area has a pre-defined combination of surface properties including a micro- or nano-structure and these properties are varied from test area to test area. The animal cells or protein of interest are then tested under the particular conditions to be used. The test area that provides the ‘best’ conditions is then selected. The manufacture of a production batch of containers is then carried out, wherein the test areas in the production batch all copy the ‘best’ surface structure selected in the test.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a microfluidic device comprises moulding a substrate using a master die having at least one outer stepped formation; and forming at least one microstructured formation having an outer rim, the depth of the outer rim being shallower than that of the microstructured formation.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing an optical waveguide, in which a waveguide structure including a waveguide layer of ZnS—SiO2 is deposited on a first layer, wherein a first refractive index of the first layer is lower than the refractive index of the waveguide layer. A sensor arrangement includes a planar optical waveguide, a light source, a sensor, an application unit for applying an analyte on top of the planar waveguide and a processor connected to the sensor.

Abstract: The present invention relates to microfluidic devices that include a reliable seal between a substrate of the device and a fluid transport mechanism. The devices of the invention include at least one internal channel, and at least one port in fluid communication with the channel. A seal is associated with the port and is configured to receive a fluid transport mechanism. The seal is formed from an elastomeric material that is compatible for use with fluorinated oil and resists flaking and degradation.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing an optical waveguide, in which a waveguide structure including a waveguide layer of ZnS—SiO2 is deposited on a first layer, wherein a first refractive index of the first layer is lower than the refractive index of the waveguide layer. A sensor arrangement includes a planar optical waveguide, a light source, a sensor, an application unit for applying an analyte on top of the planar waveguide and a processor connected to the sensor.

Abstract: The current invention is directed to a method and optical storage media reading device for restoring data stored along a data storage path of an optical storage media, the data being stored on the optical storage media and being at least in part unreadable by a conventional optical storage media reading device due to chemical or physical changes within a recording layer or a reflective layer of the optical storage media. The method and device includes detecting deformations of a shape of a groove and lands of the groove extending along the data storage path, the deformations having been generated by a laser beam during a recording process of the optical storage media, and determining the data to be restored from the detected deformations and lands.

Abstract: A recordable optical disc (1, 1?, 1?, 100) comprises at least one user data area (12) for storing user data, and at least one controlling data area (6, 8, 10, 11) for storing controlling data necessary for accessing stored user data and/or for recording user data into a user data area (12), wherein at least a part of the physical structure of the optical disc corresponding to at least a part of at least one controlling data area (6, 8, 10, 11) and/or to at least a part of at least one user data area (12) has a modified physical structure (118, 120, 122, 123) which is arranged such that a standard optical disc recorder cannot record user data into at least a part of at least one user data area and/or controlling data area (6, 8, 10, 11).

Abstract: A system for modulating digital binary data to be recorded on a recording medium comprises the generation of channel bits of the digital binary data to be recorded according to a standard for the recording medium with the exception that a maximum run length larger than that defined in the standard is obtained and/or the merging decision is influenced on basis of a random noise in a predetermined pattern or in at least one predetermined position on said recording medium and/or by recording at least one part comprising at least one predetermined repetitive bit pattern which normally, i.e. according to the standard for the recording medium, encodes into channel bits having a spectral distribution that shows at least one range of frequencies with a characteristic amplitude distribution.

Abstract: A method for restoring data stored along a data storage path on an optical disc (1) which is unreadable for conventional optical disc drives due to undesired chemical or physical changes within a recording layer (3) of the optical disc comprises the following steps: detecting deformations (14) of a groove (6) extending along the data storage path, the deformations (15) being generated by a laser beam (7) during a recording process, determining the data to be restored from the detected deformations (14) and lands (8?).

Abstract: A system for copy protection of record carriers for digital data is described according to which at least one predetermined repetitive bit pattern which encodes into channel bits having an accumulated digital sum value that exceeds a first predetermined limit and that is below a second predetermined limit is determined and recorded onto said record carrier by a mastering process so that said accumulated digital sum value which exceeds said first predetermined limit and is below said second predetermined limit is achieved in said at least one replaced and/or inserted part.

Abstract: A recordable optical disc (1, 1?, 1?, 100) comprises at least one user data area (12) for storing user data, and at least one controlling data area (6, 8, 10, 11) for storing controlling data necessary for accessing stored user data and/or for recording user data into a user data area (12), wherein at least a part of the physical structure of the optical disc corresponding to at least a part of at least one controlling data area (6, 8, 10, 11) and/or to at least a part of at least one user data area (12) has a modified physical structure (118, 120, 122, 123) which is arranged such that a standard optical disc recorder cannot record user data into at least a part of at least one user data area and/or controlling data area (6, 8, 10, 11).

Abstract: A recordable optical disc (1, 1?, 1?, 20, 20?) comprises at least one user data area (7, 12, 24, 30) for storing user data, and at least one controlling data area (10, 11, 14, t4) for storing controlling data necessary for accessing stored user data and/or for recording user data into the user data areas (7, 12, 24, 30), wherein at least a part of at least one controlling data area comprises prestored controlling data which is interpreted by a standard optical disc recorder such that user data cannot be recorded by the standard optical disc recorder into at least a part of at least one user data area (7, 12, 24, 30), and/or which is interpreted by a standard optical disc reader such that user data of at least a part of at least one user data area (7, 12, 24, 30) cannot be read by a standard optical disc reader if the standard optical disc recorder can record data into at least one user data area.