Microfluidics Systems with Waste Hollow

A digital microfluidics system (1) for manipulating samples in liquid droplets within a gap (6) of at least one disposable cartridge (2), the digital microfluidics system (1) comprising:

• (a) a base unit (7) with at least one cartridge accommodation site (8) that is configured for taking up a disposable cartridge (2);
• (b) a disposable cartridge (2) that comprises a gap (6) with a gap height (53), a bottom layer (3) with a first hydrophobic surface (17′), and a top layer (4) with a second hydrophobic surface (17″), said disposable cartridge (6) being placed at said cartridge accommodation site (8);
• (c) an electrode array (9) located at said cartridge accommodation site (8) of the base unit (7), the electrode array (9) being supported by a bottom substrate (11), substantially extending in a first plane, and comprising a number of individual electrodes (10);
• and
• (d) a central control unit (14) for controlling the selection of the individual electrodes (10) of said electrode array (9) and for providing these electrodes (10) with individual voltage pulses for manipulating liquid droplets within the gap (6) of said cartridge (2) by electrowetting,
• wherein the digital microfluidics system (1) further comprises a waste hollow (50) which is fluidly connected with the gap (6) in that the waste hollow (50) is located next to at least one individual waste electrode (52) that is positioned next to at least one individual electrode (10), the at least one individual waste electrode (52) being operatively connected to the central control unit (14) and covering in each case a waste electrode area, said waste hollow (50) covering a waste area that is equal to a multitude of said waste electrode area and said waste hollow (50) having a height (51) that is equal to a multitude of the gap height (53).