A quaternary microfluidic multiplexer using dynamic control of pressure valves having different thresholds

We present a quaternary fluidic multiplexer that is able to address four flow channels with just two control lines by controlling three kind pressure valves of different thresholds. V₁, V₂, and V₃ valves close in 50, 100, 150 kPa, respectively. By controlling those valves with dynamic pressure control, quaternary fluidic multiplexer successfully address four flow channels in two control lines and 4^n/2 flow channels in n control lines. In this experiment, we designed a quaternary multiplexers using four control lines and applied it to 4times4 well arrays. We determine the static/dynamic operating conditions of the three kinds of valves having different threshold pressures in quaternary multiplexer. Under these conditions, the quaternary multiplexer selectively fills out 4times4 well array by controlling the three kinds of valves in four control lines.