A microfabricated planar magnetic particle separator with optically inspectable flow channel

A new planar magnetic particle separator with opening flow channel which can separate magnetic beads from suspended bio-fluids has been realized on silicon and Pyrex glass wafers, using microfabrication techniques. Electromagnets and fluid channels are separately fabricated, and then two components are bonded together to construct the separator using electrostatic wafer bonding techniques. Separation tests are performed by flowing a suspension containing magnetic beads through the channel. Magnetic beads binding with protein or enzyme which are suspended in bio-liquid solutions have been successfully separated from the suspensions using the realized magnetic separator, while the separation process can be continuously monitored with optical beams. The planar magnetic particle separators microfabricated in this work have a high potential in biomedical or biological applications, especially in separating small amounts of cells, enzyme, protein, or DNA that are bound or marked on magnetic beads.