Apparatus for high-throughput suspension measurements

A high-throughput optical suspension characterization instrument, comprising:

• a body defining a plurality of sample containment volumes each having a transparent bottom surface,
• a first electrode associated with each of the sample containment volumes and positioned to include at least a sample contact surface within the containment volume that it is associated with,
• a second electrode associated with each of the sample containment volumes and positioned to include at least a sample contact surface within its containment volume, and
• a top window associated with each of the sample containment volumes and positioned above at least a portion of the volume that it is associated with.

A high-throughput optical suspension characterization method, comprising:

• positioning a selected one of a plurality of liquid samples relative to a source beam,
• applying an electric field across the selected liquid sample,
• detecting light from the source that has been scattered by the selected liquid sample after the step of positioning and during the step of applying, and
• repeating steps of positioning, applying, and detecting for a plurality of further samples.

A high-throughput optical suspension characterization instrument, comprising:

• a power supply,
• a plurality of hydraulically separate sample containers each including a pair of electrodes operatively connected to the power supply,
• a first light source, and
• an imaging detector positioned to acquire an image of samples together in the hydraulically separate sample containers as they are illuminated by light from the first light source.

A high-throughput optical suspension characterization method, comprising:

• positioning a plurality of hydraulically separate liquid samples together,
• illuminating the liquid samples,
• applying an electric field across each of the liquid samples, and
• acquiring an image of the plurality of liquid samples during the step of illuminating.

A high-throughput optical suspension characterization method, comprising:

• positioning one or more liquid samples in an electroosmotically neutral vessel,
• illuminating the liquid samples,
• applying an electric field across each of the liquid samples,
• acquiring a series of images of the plurality of liquid samples during the step of illuminating, and
• comparing information from the images to determine one or more properties of one or more types of particles suspended in the liquid sample.

A multi-well plate for high-throughput electrophoretic measurements, comprising:

• a plurality of electroosmotically neutral walls that define hydraulically separate wells arranged in an array,
• a first plurality of electrodes, wherein the first plurality of electrodes includes electrodes that are each located in one of the wells,
• a second plurality of electrodes, wherein the second plurality of electrodes includes electrodes that are each located in one of the wells and separated from the first electrode for that well by a predetermined gap,
• a first electrical network connected to each of the electrodes in the first plurality and to at least a first electrical supply terminal, and
• a second electrical network connected to each of the electrodes in the second plurality and to at least a second electrical supply terminal.