A method of forming arrays of droplets
OwnerMichal Jan Horka, Sumit Kalsi +1inventors
InventorsMichal Jan Horka, Sumit Kalsi, Andreas Michael Waeber
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Abstract
A method for forming an array of droplets by splitting droplets into smaller droplets using lateral movements. The method involves taking one or more droplets and splitting in multiple dimensions to form an array of smaller evenly sized droplets.
Claims20
A method for forming a plurality of droplets on an electrokinetic device, the method comprising taking first droplets and splitting the droplets into multiple evenly sized smaller droplets by moving the droplets in opposing lateral directions, wherein the first droplets are elongated before splitting and the lateral movement is at 90 degrees to the elongated axis such that the ends of the droplet move perpendicular to the elongated axis.
The method according to any one preceding claim wherein multiple droplets are split simultaneously.
The method according to any one preceding claim wherein the splitting generates an array having equal spacing s1 along one axis and equal spacing s2 along a second axis.
The method according to any one preceding claim wherein the first droplets are elongated and split into evenly sized smaller droplets, and the split droplets are then elongated and further split into smaller droplets.
The method according to any one preceding claim wherein the final droplets are less than 250 nL in volume.
The method according to any one preceding claim wherein the final droplets occupy fewer than 10×10 pixels of the electrokinetic device per droplet.
The method according to any one preceding claim wherein the final droplets occupy fewer than 4×4 pixels of the electrokinetic device per droplet.
The method according to any one preceding claim wherein the first droplets occupy at least 10×10 pixels of the electrokinetic device per droplet.
The method according to any one preceding claim wherein the electrokinetic device has square electrodes.
The method according to any one preceding claim wherein multiple first droplets are formed, each using an actuated meniscus in order to normalise the volume of liquid between the first droplets to be split.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.