Method, apparatus and article for microfluidic control via electrowetting, for chemical, biochemical and biological assays and the like

A microfluidic system, comprising:

• at least one voltage source for supplying at least one voltage;
• a microfluidic structure comprising a first plate;
• a second plate, spaced from the first plate to form at least one cavity therebetween;
• at least a first port providing fluid communication between the cavity and an exterior of the microfluidic structure;
• an array of drive electrodes received between the first and the second plates;
• a dielectric overlying at least a portion of the array of drive electrodes;
• and an array of thin film transistors, the thin film transistors coupled to respective ones of the drive electrodes in the array of drive electrodes to control a respective potential applied to respective portions of the dielectric overlying the drive electrodes to move at least one fluid with respect to the drive electrodes;
• a controller programmable to execute a set of driver instructions and coupled to control the thin film transistors of the array of thin film transistors according to a set of driver instructions to supply the at least one voltage from the voltage source to the drive electrodes via the thin film transistors.

A microfluidic platform for moving microfluidic bodies having a defined minimum lateral dimension, comprising:

• a plurality of drive electrodes having a dimension less than the defined minimum lateral dimension of the microfluidic bodies;
• a dielectric layer overlying at least a portion of the plurality of electrodes;
• a plurality of thin film transistors coupled to the drive electrodes to control a respective potential to respective portions of the dielectric layer to move the fluidic bodies from a portion of the dielectric layer overlying one drive electrode to a portion of the dielectric layer overlying another drive electrode;
• and
• a port providing fluid communications between an interior and an exterior of the microfluidic platform when the microfluidic platform is in use.

A microfluidic platform for moving microfluidic bodies, comprising:

• a two-dimensional matrix array of drive electrodes, the drive electrodes being dimensioned and spaced from one another in the two-dimensional matrix such that there is at least three electrodes in an area corresponding to a surface electrowetted by the microfluidic bodies;
• a dielectric overlying at least a portion of the two-dimensional matrix array of drive electrodes;
• a plurality of thin film transistors coupled to the drive electrodes to control a potential applied to respective portions of the dielectric overlying the respective drive electrodes to move the microfluidic bodies between successive portions of the dielectric layer;
• and
• a port providing fluid communications between an interior and an exterior of the microfluidic platform when the microfluidic platform is in use.

A microfluidic system, comprising:

• a microfluidic structure having a number of drive electrodes;
• a controller coupled to control of the microfluidic structure;
• and
• a feedback subsystem having a number of feedback sensors for detecting a position of at least one fluidic body, if any, in the microfluidic structure and at least one output for providing feedback position signals corresponding to the detected position.

A microfluidic system, comprising:

• a microfluidic structure having a number of drive electrodes;
• a feedback subsystem having a number of feedback sensors for detecting a position of at least one fluidic body, if any, in the microfluidic structure and at least one output for providing feedback position signals;
• and
• a controller to produce drive signals and coupled to control of the drive electrodes of the microfluidic structure via the drive signals, and to receive the feedback position signals from the feedback subsystem.

A method of controlling a microfluidic structure having at least one cavity, a two-dimensional matrix array of drive electrodes;

• a dielectric overlying at least a portion of the two-dimensional matrix array of drive electrodes;
• and an array of thin film transistors electrically coupled to the drive electrodes, the method comprising:
• introducing at least one fluid into the cavity of the microfluidic structure;
• executing a set of executable instructions to produce a set of drive signals for each drive electrode in the two-dimensional matrix array of drive electrodes including drive electrodes in a desired flow path of the fluid and drive electrodes out of the desired flow path of the fluid;
• applying the set of drive signals to the thin film transistors of the array of thin film transistors;
• applying a potential to the drive electrodes in response to the set of drive signals applied to the thin film transistors;
• and
• applying a respective potential to respective portions of the dielectric overlying respective ones of the drive electrodes to move the at least one fluid from at least one drive electrode to at least another drive electrode, along the desired flow path.

A method of controlling a microfluidic structure having at least one cavity, an array of drive electrodes and an array of thin film transistors coupled to the drive electrodes to selectively apply voltage across at least one fluid, the method comprising:

• creating a set of executable instructions corresponding to an animated sequence using a standard, unmodified, animation software package;
• introducing the at least one fluid into the cavity of the microfluidic structure;
• executing the set of executable instructions to produce a set of drive signals;
• applying the drive signals to the thin film transistors;
• and
• selectively applying a potential to the drive electrodes via the thin film transistors to move the fluid from at least one of the drive electrodes to another one of the drive electrodes.

A method of forming a microfluidic structure, the method comprising:

• providing a first plate;
• providing a second plate;
• spacing the second plate from the first plate to create at least one cavity therebetween;
• forming at an array of drive electrodes and an array of thin film transistors overlying at least a portion of the first plate, the thin film transistors electrically coupled to control the drive electrodes;
• and
• providing a port between an exterior of the microfluidic structure and the cavity.

A computer readable medium containing instructions for causing computer to move fluids in a microfluidic structure having a two-dimensional matrix array of drive electrodes;

• a dielectric overlying at least a portion of the two-dimensional matrix array of drive electrodes;
• and an array of thin film transistors coupled to the drive electrodes, by:
• producing a set of drive signals for each drive electrode in the two-dimensional matrix array of drive electrodes, including drive electrodes in a desired flow path of at least one fluid and drive electrodes out of the desired flow path of the at least one fluid;
• applying the set of drive signals to the thin film transistors of the array of thin film transistors;
• applying a potential to the drive electrodes in response to the set of drive signals applied to the thin film transistors;
• and
• applying a respective potential to respective portions of the dielectric overlying respective ones of the drive electrodes to move the at least one fluid from at least one drive electrode to at least another drive electrode, along the desired flow path.

A method of operating a microfluidic system having a controller, a number of position feedback sensors, and a microfluidic structure including an array of selectively addressable drive electrodes, the method comprising:

• providing drive signals to drive selected ones of the drive electrodes;
• receiving position feedback signals from the position feedback sensors, the position feedback signals representing an actual position of at least one fluid body with respect to the drive electrodes;
• and
• displaying a representation of the actual position of the at least one fluid body on an active matrix display in response to the position feedback signals.

A method of operating a microfluidic system having a controller, a number of position feedback sensors, and a microfluidic structure including an array of selectively addressable drive electrodes, the method comprising:

• providing drive signals to drive selected ones of the drive electrodes;
• receiving position feedback signals from the position feedback sensors, the position feedback signals representing an actual position of at least one fluid body with respect to the drive electrodes;
• and
• providing further drive signals based at least in part on the position feedback signals.