Title: |
Light-Actuated Digital Microfluidics |
Researchers: |
Shao Ning Pei
|
Funding Agency: |
BSAC |
Description:The ability to quickly perform large numbers of chemical and
biological reactions in parallel using low reagent volumes
is a field well addressed by droplet-based digital
microfluidics. Compared to continuous flow-based techniques,
digital microfluidics offers the added advantages such as
individual sample addressing and reagent isolation. We are
developing a light-actuated digital microfluidics device
(also known as optoelectrowetting) that optically
manipulates nano- to micro-liter scale aqueous droplets on
the device surface. The device possesses many advantages
including ease of fabrication and the ability for real-time,
reconfigurable, large-scale droplets control (simply by
altering the low-intensity projected light pattern). We hope
to develop Light-Actuated Digital Microfluidics into a
powerful platform for lab-on-a-chip (LOC) applications.
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Figure 1: Device schematic showing incident light creates localized areas of high conductivity in the a-Si:H film. This creates localized electric field concentration in the illuminated region resulting in a net electro-mechanical force on the droplet.
Fig. 1 illustrates the operating principle of the device. It
consists of a microfluidic chamber sandwiched between a
photosensitive a-Si:H electrode coated with an electrically
insulating oxide layer (bottom) and a transparent electrode
(top), a thin hydrophobic layer then coats both surfaces. In
the absence of light, the applied AC voltage drops primarily
across the highly resistive a-Si:H layer. However, upon
illumination, the conductivity of the a-Si:H increases by
more than 100x. This causes the voltage to drop primarily
across the electrically insulating layer. In other words,
the a-Si:H layer acts as a switch that is activated by light
which shifts the majority of voltage drop from the photoconductive
layer in the "off" state to the dielectric layer in the "on"
state. Thus, the illuminated area is analogous to an electrically
biased electrode, or a 'virtual electrode'. If the virtual electrode
is created only on a fraction of the droplet's contact line, a net
electromechanical force acts on the droplet and translates it towards
the illuminated region. Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 showcase the capabilities of
this device, where parallel movement and array formation of droplets
are demonstrated, respectively.
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Figure 2: Parallel movement of droplets. 7 droplets undergo simultaneous movement. 4 outer droplets moves clockwise in a circular manner, whilst 3 inner droplets move anti-clockwise in a circular manner.
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Figure 3:On-demand formation of a
parallel array of droplets. Projected light patterns pull
seven 200 nL droplets and arrange the droplets into a
vertical column before transporting the droplets into a
7x7 array.
Movies:
Array Formation
Parallel Movement of
Seven Droplets
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