Method, apparatus and article for microfluidic control via electrowetting, for chemical, biochemical and biological assays and the like

A microfluidic system to move at least one fluid body, comprising:

• a substrate;
• an array of thin film transistors;
• an array of drive electrodes carried by the substrate;
• a dielectric carried by the substrate, overlying at least a portion of the array of drive electrodes;
• a fluid compatibility layer overlying the drive electrodes;
• and
• at least one ground line carried by the substrate, overlying at least a portion of the dielectric to provide a ground potential to at least one fluidic body.

A method of forming a microfluidic structure for manipulating at least one fluid body, the method comprising:

• forming a substrate;
• forming a dielectric carried by the substrate;
• providing a first plate;
• forming an array of drive electrodes overlying at least a portion of the first plate, the drive electrodes having a dimension less than a lateral dimension of the at least one fluid body;
• forming an array of transistors overlying at least a portion of the first plate, the transistors electrically coupled to control the drive electrodes;
• and
• forming a fluid compatibility layer overlying the drive electrodes;
• and
• forming at least one ground line carried by the substrate and positioned to provide a ground potential to the at least one fluid body wherein the at least one ground line overlies at least a portion of the dielectric.