Use of immiscible fluids in droplet ejection through application of focused acoustic energy
AssigneePicoliter Inc.
InventorsRichard N. Ellson, Mitchell W. Mutz, James K. Foote
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The invention provides a method for generating droplets. Extremely fine droplets may be generated (on the order of 1 picoliter or less) using focused acoustic energy to eject the droplets from a reservoir containing two or more immiscible fluids. The droplets may include immiscible fluids or a single fluid. Typically, the droplets are ejected onto discrete sites on a substrate surface so as to form an array thereon. In some instances, the reservoirs contain layers of immiscible fluids, wherein an upper layer exhibits a nonuniform thickness. In such a case, fluid from a lower fluid layer may be propelled through an aperture region of the upper layer.
Claims25
A method for acoustically generating a droplet, comprising:
- (a) providing a reservoir containing
- (i) a lower layer comprised of a first fluid, and
- (ii) an upper layer having a nonuniform thickness and comprised of a second fluid, wherein the first and second fluids are immiscible;
- and
- (b) applying focused acoustic energy to the reservoir in a manner effective to eject a droplet from the reservoir, wherein the droplet is comprised of a predetermined volume of the first fluid propelled though the upper layer at an aperture region that exhibits a local thickness minimum.
A method for forming an array of features on a substrate surface, comprising:
- (a) providing a plurality of fluid-containing reservoirs, each containing
- (i) a lower layer comprised of a first fluid, and
- (ii) an upper layer having a nonuniform thickness and comprised of a second fluid, wherein
- the first and second fluids are immiscible,
- the fluid content contained in each reservoir is different from each other, and
- each upper layer has an aperture region that exhibits a local thickness minimum;
- (b) applying focused acoustic energy to each of the reservoirs in a manner effective to eject a droplet from each reservoir, wherein each of the droplets is comprised of a predetermined volume of the first fluid propelled though the upper layer at the aperture region of its respective fluid-containing reservoir.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.