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US 6,565,727 B1Granted
Actuators for microfluidics without moving parts
AssigneeNanolytics, Inc.
InventorAlexander David Shenderov
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A series of microactuators for manipulating small quantities of liquids, and methods of using these for manipulating liquids, are disclosed. The microactuators are based on the phenomenon of electrowetting and contain no moving parts. The force acting on the liquid is a potential-dependent gradient of adhesion energy between the liquid and a solid insulating surface.
Claims12
A device comprising:
- a) an electrically non-conductive first solid support having an upper surface;
- b) a plurality of first electrodes positioned on said upper surface, each of the first electrodes having at least one edge with projections in interdigitated relationship with projections on an edge of another first electrode;
- c) an electrically non-conductive second solid support having a lower surface, positioned opposite to, and separated from, the upper surface of the first solid support, so that a gap is formed between said second and first solid supports;
- d) a second electrode positioned on said lower surface;
- e) a first electrically insulative, hydrophobic layer insulating said first electrodes from the gap;
- f) a second hydrophobic layer positioned between the second electrode and the gap;
- g) a droplet comprising a polar liquid positioned in the gap;
- and
- h) a non-polar fluid positioned in the gap.
6 more elements
A device comprising:
- a) an electrically non-conductive first solid support having an upper surface;
- b) a plurality of first electrodes positioned on said upper surface;
- c) an electrically non-conductive second solid support having a lower surface, positioned opposite to, and separated from, the upper surface of the first solid support, so that a gap is formed between said second and first solid supports;
- d) a second electrode positioned on said lower surface;
- e) a first electrically insulative, hydrophobic layer insulating said first electrodes from the gap;
- f) a second hydrophobic layer positioned between the second electrode and the gap;
- g) a droplet comprising a polar liquid positioned in the gap;
- h) a non-polar fluid positioned in the gap;
- and
- i) a drop meter positioned above a receiving one of the first electrodes, the drop meter being configured to dispense droplets of the polar liquid onto the receiving first electrode.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.