Abstract: A microchip is provided that includes a flow path through which a liquid containing a micro particle flows, an orifice through which the liquid flowing through the flow path is discharged into a space outside the microchip, and a light-irradiated portion provided at a predetermined location of the flow path and configured to be irradiated with light. A width of the flow path and a depth of the flow path at the orifice are set to be smaller than a width of the flow path and a depth of the flow path at the light-irradiated portion, and the flow path is configured to gradually decrease from upstream of the orifice in a cross-section area perpendicular to a liquid-delivering direction between the light-irradiated portion and the orifice. A cartridge including the microchip is also provided.

Abstract: A substance mixing apparatus that is capable of uniformly mixing a certain amount of trace substances and also mixing minute particles. A substance mixing apparatus includes two or more flow paths (11, 12, 13) in which orifices (111, 121, 131), from which a fluid that flows therethrough is externally discharged, are formed, oscillation devices (112, 122, 132) that form droplets of the fluid discharged from each of the orifices (111, 121, 131) by oscillating at least the orifice (111, 121, 131) part of the flow paths at a predetermined oscillation frequency and discharge the droplets, and a device for causing the droplets (A, B, C) discharged from the orifices (111, 121, 131) of the flow paths (11, 12, 13) to collide with one another.

Abstract: A micro-particle sorting apparatus is provided including a microchip in which a flow path through which liquid containing a micro particle flows and an orifice; an oscillating element configured to transform the liquid into a liquid drop; a charge means for adding an electric charge to the discharged liquid drop; an optical detection means; paired electrodes sandwiching the moving liquid drop; and at least a container that collects the liquid drop, and wherein the flow path is configured to gradually decrease, from upstream of the orifice, in cross-section area perpendicular to the liquid-delivering direction between the location at which the optical property is detected and the location of the orifice.

Abstract: A micro-particle sorting apparatus is provided including a microchip in which a flow path through which liquid containing a micro particle flows and an orifice; an oscillating element configured to transform the liquid into a liquid drop; a charge means for adding an electric charge to the discharged liquid drop; an optical detection means; paired electrodes sandwiching the moving liquid drop; and at least a container that collects the liquid drop, and wherein the flow path is configured to gradually decrease, from upstream of the orifice, in cross-section area perpendicular to the liquid-delivering direction between the location at which the optical property is detected and the location of the orifice.

Abstract: A microchip includes a channel permitting a sheath liquid to flow therethrough; and a microtube for introducing a sample liquid into a laminar flow of the sheath liquid flowing through the channel; wherein liquid feeding is performed in the condition where a laminar flow of the sample liquid introduced through the microtube is surrounded by the laminar flow of the sheath liquid.

Abstract: In one example embodiment, a micro-particle sorting apparatus includes: (a) a microchip in which a flow path through which liquid containing a micro particle flows and an orifice through which the liquid flowing through the flow path is discharged into a space outside the chip; (b) an oscillating element for transforming the liquid into a liquid drop and discharging the liquid drop at the orifice; (c) a charge means for adding an electric charge to the discharged liquid drop; (d) an optical detection means that detects an optical property of the micro particle flowing through the flow path, upstream of a liquid-delivering direction with respect to the orifice; (e) paired electrodes opposed to each other while sandwiching the moving liquid drop along a movement direction of the liquid drop discharged into the space outside the chip; and (f) two containers that collect the liquid drop passing between the paired electrodes.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a microchip including a substrate and a sample flow path within the substrate. The sample flow path includes a changing flow path and a microtube connected to the changing flow path. The changing flow path is configured to change a cross sectional shape of the sample flow path from a quadrangular shape at a first end to a circular shape at a second end. The microtube is connected to the second end of the changing flow path and is disposed within the substrate.

Abstract: A fine particle measuring method of performing optical measurement of fine particles introduced into a plurality of sample fluidic channels provided at predetermined distances on a substrate by scanning light to the sample fluidic channels is disclosed. The method includes: sequentially irradiating the light to at least two or more reference regions provided together with the sample fluidic channels; detecting a change of optical property occurring in the light due to the reference regions; and controlling timing of emission of the light to the sample fluidic channels.

Abstract: The present application provides a channel substrate having a channel provided therein and includes a plurality of detection portions configured to detect a specimen in the channel using an optical device, an introducing portion configured to introduce the specimen into the channel, and a discharging portion configured to discharge the specimen from the channel. The detection portions have, on at least one of the opposite faces of the channel substrate, detection portion surfaces which have distances different from each other to the channel.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for detecting the widths of a plurality of laminar layers formed in a channel includes performing at least the steps of: detecting optical information generated from a reference substance contained in a laminar flow; and calculating the width of the laminar flow, based on the optical information detected in the optical information detecting step.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a micro-fluidic chip including a hollow area into which a charged droplet is introduced, and an electrode configured to be provided toward the hollow area. Movement direction of a droplet in the hollow area is controlled based on electric force acting between a charge given to the droplet and the electrode.

Abstract: A light irradiation method of irradiating a specimen in a flow channel with directional light includes the step of irradiating the specimen with the directional light while performing scanning using the directional light in a widthwise direction of the flow channel. The directional light has an irradiation spot that is smaller than a width of the flow channel. Accordingly, energy density of the irradiation spot can be increased without increasing output power of a light source.

Abstract: [Object] To provide a substance mixing apparatus that is capable of uniformly mixing a certain amount of trace substances and also mixing minute particles. [Solving Means] Provided is a substance mixing apparatus including: two or more flow paths (11, 12, 13) in which orifices (111, 121, 131), from which a fluid that flows therethrough is externally discharged, are formed; oscillation devices (112, 122, 132) that form droplets of the fluid discharged from each of the orifices (111, 121, 131) by oscillating at least the orifice (111, 121, 131) part of the flow paths at a predetermined oscillation frequency and discharge the droplets; and means for causing the droplets (A, B, C) discharged from the orifices (111, 121, 131) of the flow paths (11, 12, 13) to collide with one another. [Selected Drawing] FIG.

Abstract: A micro-fluidic chip including a channel through which a liquid containing micro-particles flows, and a gas jetting section configured to jet a gas toward the micro-particle-containing liquid ejected from the channel is provided.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an optical measuring device, including: a plurality of microfluidic channels extending in parallel to each other; and a scanning section configured to scan a plurality of measuring light beams in a scanning direction in which the microfluidic channels are juxtaposed to optically measure fine particles introduced into the microfluidic channels.

Abstract: In one example embodiment, a micro-particle sorting apparatus includes: (a) a microchip in which a flow path through which liquid containing a micro particle flows and an orifice through which the liquid flowing through the flow path is discharged into a space outside the chip; (b) an oscillating element for transforming the liquid into a liquid drop and discharging the liquid drop at the orifice; (c) a charge means for adding an electric charge to the discharged liquid drop; (d) an optical detection means that detects an optical property of the micro particle flowing through the flow path, upstream of a liquid-delivering direction with respect to the orifice; (e) paired electrodes opposed to each other while sandwiching the moving liquid drop along a movement direction of the liquid drop discharged into the space outside the chip; and two containers that collect the liquid drop passing between the paired electrodes.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a microchip including a substrate and a sample flow path within the substrate. The sample flow path includes a changing flow path and a microtube connected to the changing flow path. The changing flow path is configured to change a cross sectional shape of the sample flow path from a quadrangular shape at a first end to a circular shape at a second end. The microtube is connected to the second end of the changing flow path and is disposed within the substrate.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an optical detection method and optical detection apparatus, the apparatus including: a light irradiation section configured to irradiate a laser beam upon one of fine particles which are successively fed in a flow path; and a light detection section configured to detect fluorescent light and/or scattered light generated from any of the fine particles upon which the laser beam is irradiated; the method including the steps of: irradiating a laser beam upon one of fine particles which are successively fed in a flow path; and detecting fluorescent light and/or scattered light generated from the fine particle; wherein the laser beam being formed as a pulse laser beam whose pulse intensity is modulated such that one laser beam or two or more laser beams having different wavelengths are irradiated by a plural number of times upon one fine particle with the intensity varied.