Class / Patent application number | Description | Number of patent applications / Date published |
204643000 | Dielectrophoretic (i.e., uses nonuniform electric field) | 45 |
20080217179 | Classification scheme for nanoobjects - A method is provided for classifying nanoobjects having different electrical properties, such as conductivities and permittivities. The method includes: suspending nanoobjects having different electrical properties in a liquid medium; passing the liquid medium through a microchamber; and filtering nanoobjects having a first type of electrical property from the liquid medium by applying an electric field to the liquid medium in the microchamber. | 09-11-2008 |
20080251383 | Microfluidic Liquid Stream Configuration System - A microfluidic liquid stream configuration system is provided including providing a substrate; forming a first co-planar electrode and a second co-planar electrode on the substrate; applying a dielectric layer, with a controlled surface energy, on the first co-planar electrode and the second co-planar electrode; forming an input reservoir on the first co-planar electrode and a second co-planar electrode; supplying a liquid in the input reservoir for analysis; and imposing an electric field, an electric field gradient, or a combination thereof on the liquid for respectively driving surface charge or dipole moments in the liquid for configuring a liquid stream. | 10-16-2008 |
20080289966 | Microscale sorting cytometer - The present invention provides a device and methods of use thereof in microscale cell sorting. This invention provides sorting cytometers, which trap individual cells within vessels following exposure to dielectrophoresis, allow for the assaying of trapped cells, such that a population is identified whose isolation is desired, and their isolation. | 11-27-2008 |
20090008256 | System for Concentrating and Analyzing Particles Suspended in a Fluid - Disclosed is a device for separating and concentrating particles suspended in a fluid stream by using dielectrophoresis (DEP) to trap and/or deflect those particles as they migrate through a fluid channel. The method uses fluid channels designed to constrain a liquid flowing through it to uniform electrokinetic flow velocities. This behavior is achieved by connecting deep and shallow sections of channels, with the channel depth varying abruptly along an interface. By careful design of abrupt changes in specific permeability at the interface, an abrupt and spatially uniform change in electrokinetic force can be selected. Because these abrupt interfaces also cause a sharp gradient in applied electric fields, a DEP force also can be established along the interface. Depending on the complex conductivity of the suspended particles and the immersion liquid, the DEP force can controllably complement or oppose the local electrokinetic force transporting the fluid through the channel allowing for manipulation of particles suspended in the transporting liquid. | 01-08-2009 |
20090045064 | Methods and Devices for High-Throughput Dielectrophoretic Concentration - Disclosed herein are methods and devices for assaying and concentrating analytes in a fluid sample using dielectrophoresis. As disclosed, the methods and devices utilize substrates having a plurality of pores through which analytes can be selectively prevented from passing, or inhibited, on application of an appropriate electric field waveform. The pores of the substrate produce nonuniform electric field having local extrema located near the pores. These nonuniform fields drive dielectrophoresis, which produces the inhibition. Arrangements of electrodes and porous substrates support continuous, bulk, multi-dimensional, and staged selective concentration. | 02-19-2009 |
20090314644 | Method and Device for Electrokinetic Manipulation - A device for manipulating an object present in a fluid by electrokinetics is disclosed. The device comprises a substrate forming a flow chamber. The device further comprises a plurality of electrically biasable electrode structures and at least one electrically floating electrode structure. | 12-24-2009 |
20100006441 | APPARATUS FOR MANIPULATING, MODIFYING AND CHARACTERIZING PARTICLES IN A MICRO CHANNEL - Microfluidic system comprising a space for containing a liquid and at least one lateral chamber in communication with said space, said lateral chamber containing a metal electrode. The lateral chamber and the space are designed to be filled by the same or different liquid when the system is active. | 01-14-2010 |
20100032299 | MICROELECTRONIC DEVICE WITH ELECTRODES FOR MANIPULATING A SAMPLE - The invention relates to a microelectronic device with an array ( | 02-11-2010 |
20100051465 | Optically-induced dielectrophoresis chip - An optically-induced dielectrophoresis chip includes a substrate, a first electrode layer disposed on the substrate, an interface modification layer disposed on the first electrode layer, a photo-conductive layer disposed on the interface modification layer and including an optical absorbent polymeric material, a barrier layer disposed on the photo-conductive layer, a compartment forming layer disposed on the barrier layer and defining a compartment, and a second electrode layer covering the compartment forming layer. | 03-04-2010 |
20100059381 | APPARATUS FOR MEASURING THE TURBIDITY OF WATER - Apparatus for measuring the turbidity of water, which apparatus comprises: (i) pressure reducer and flow controller means; (ii) calibration solution injection means (2); (iii) a variable dielectrophoresis drive particle filter (3), set to retain micro-organisms, and able to be turned on and off at a set frequency, periodically releasing any micro-organisms that have been retained; (iv) monitor means (4) which monitors the output of the filter (3) by optical particle detection; and (v) phase sensitive detection signal processing means for correlating an obtained turbidity signal with the state of the filter (3) and flow rate of the water through the apparatus. | 03-11-2010 |
20100072067 | Label-Free High Throughput Screening Method by Using Sers Spectroscopic Encoded Bead and Dielectrophoresis - Provided is a method for screening a biological molecule rapidly and economically with high-throughput using microbeads encoded with silver nanoparticles and a chemical compound and dielectrophoresis. A biological screening method particularly utilizes microbeads encoded with silver nanoparticles and a specific chemical compound and dielectrophoresis. Since this screening method does not use a fluorescent material and a dying agent, which are typically used in the conventional screening method, it is non-toxic and economical. Also, this screening method allows simultaneous identification of many target materials. Accordingly, a leading compound can be screened within a short period of time, and thus, this screening method can be implemented as an economical and effective system for developing new pharmaceutical products. | 03-25-2010 |
20100072068 | SYSTEM FOR ELECTROPHORETIC STRETCHING OF BIOMOLECULES USING MICRO SCALE T-JUNCTIONS - System for trapping and stretching biomolecules. A microfluidic device includes a symmetric channel forming a T-shaped junction at a narrow center region and three wider portions outside the center region. At least one power supply is provided to generate an electric potential across the T-shaped junction to create a local planar extensional field having a stagnation point in the junction whereby a biomolecule introduced into the microfluidic device is trapped at the stagnation point and stretched by the extensional field. | 03-25-2010 |
20100084273 | Method and Apparatus for Programmable Fluidic Processing - A method and apparatus for microfluidic processing by programmably manipulating a packet. A material is introduced onto a reaction surface and compartmentalized to form a packet. A position of the packet is sensed with a position sensor. A programmable manipulation force is applied to the packet at the position. The programmable manipulation force is adjustable according to packet position by a controller. The packet is programmably moved according to the programmable manipulation force along arbitrarily chosen paths. | 04-08-2010 |
20100101960 | SINGLE-SIDED LATERAL-FIELD AND PHOTOTRANSISTOR-BASED OPTOELECTRONIC TWEEZERS - Described herein are single-sided lateral-field optoelectronic tweezers (LOET) devices which use photosensitive electrode arrays to create optically-induced dielectrophoretic forces in an electric field that is parallel to the plane of the device. In addition, phototransistor-based optoelectronic tweezers (PhOET) devices are described that allow for optoelectronic tweezers (OET) operation in high-conductivity physiological buffer and cell culture media. | 04-29-2010 |
20100193361 | APPARATUS FOR CONCENTRATING DIELECTRIC MICROPARTICLES - Microorganisms (dielectric microparticles) in a liquid sample are captured using a dielectrophoretic force. After quantifying and analyzing, the microorganisms thus captured are concentrated and collected. In an apparatus for concentrating dielectric microparticles, a liquid sample, which contains the microorganisms to be examined, is supplied from a liquid sample-holding unit holding the liquid sample and passes through a voltage-applied cell. During the passage, the microorganisms are captured on dielectrophoretic electrodes by a dielectrophoretic force. Then, the captured microorganisms are released from the dielectrophoretic force by ceasing the voltage application. At the same time, a release liquid supplied from a release liquid-holding unit is flown through the dielectrophoretic electrodes so that the concentrated microorganisms are released and collected into a collection unit as the target bacteria. | 08-05-2010 |
20100282611 | APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING CELL USING CENTRIFUGAL FORCE AND DIELECTROPHORESIS - A cell separating apparatus that can easily separate target cells contained in a fluid is provided. Target cells and a fluid are injected through a storage hole, and ejected to the outside of a rotation disk under the influence of a centrifugal force of the rotation disk. An electric field is applied to the outside of the rotation disk, and the target cells are gathered at a different position from the fluid due to di-electrophoresis. In addition, pivot arms placed at an outer surface of the rotation disk are open, and the open pivot arms collect the target cells. The collected target cell flow in a different storage portion through a fluid flow path. As a result, the target cells can be easily separated. | 11-11-2010 |
20100307922 | ELECTROWETTING BASED DIGITAL MICROFLUIDICS - Apparatus and methods are provided for liquid manipulation utilizing electrostatic field force. The apparatus is a single-sided electrode design in which all conductive elements are embedded on the first surface on which droplets are manipulated. An additional second surface can be provided parallel with the first surface for the purpose of containing the droplets to be manipulated. By performing electrowetting based techniques in which different electrical potential values are applied to different electrodes embedded in the first surface in a controlled manner, the apparatus enables a number of droplet manipulation processes, including sampling a continuous liquid flow by forming individually controllable droplets from the flow, moving a droplet, merging and mixing two or more droplets together, splitting a droplet into two or more droplets, iterative binary mixing of droplets to obtain a desired mixing ratio, and enhancing liquid mixing within a droplet. | 12-09-2010 |
20110042220 | MATRIX ELECTRODE-CONTROLLING DEVICE AND DIGITAL PLATFORM USING THE SAME - A matrix electrode-controlling device for driving a droplet according to this aspect of the present invention comprises a substrate, a dielectric layer positioned on the substrate, a plurality of control electrodes positioned in the dielectric layer in a matrix manner, and a ground electrode positioned at a predetermined position around the control electrodes without generating electromagnetic shielding effect. The control electrodes in the same row are electrically connected to form a plurality of lateral controlling rows and the control electrodes in the same column are electrically connected to form a plurality of longitudinal controlling columns, and the droplet is driven to move on or above the dielectric layer by biasing the ground electrode to the ground voltage and applying a predetermined voltage to one of the controlling rows and/or to one of the controlling columns to undergo the predetermined assaying operation. | 02-24-2011 |
20110056834 | Dielectrophoresis-based microfluidic system - A dielectrophoresis-based microfluidic system includes a first electrode plate, a second electrode plate and a spacing structure. The first electrode plate comprises a first substrate and an electrode layer disposed on one side surface of the first substrate. The second electrode plate comprises a second substrate and a plurality of electrodes. The electrodes are disposed on one side surface of the second substrate which is opposite to the electrode layer, and arranged in a microchannel pattern. The spacing structure is disposed between the first electrode plate and the second electrode plate so that a space is defined between the first electrode plate and the second electrode plate. Accordingly, users can inject microfluid into the space and apply voltage to different electrodes to drive the microfluid to flow towards different directions. | 03-10-2011 |
20110083964 | Electrowetting-Based Valving and Pumping Systems - The present teachings relate to microfluidic valves and pumping systems, which may be suitable for controlling and facilitating liquid flow. Electrodes are disposed proximately to volumes containing a liquid. The liquid flow can be facilitated by electrowetting forces. Processes for controlling the flow of liquids, as well as for pumping liquids, are also disclosed. | 04-14-2011 |
20110297547 | VIRTUAL CHANNEL PLATFORM - A virtual channel platform is disclosed. Said virtual channel platform comprises two spaced electrode plates, which can provide an electric field, and a voltage source electrically connected to the two electrode plates. Said plates define a virtual reservoir and a virtual channel. When the voltage source provides a voltage between the electrode plates, the electric field generates a force to drive a driven fluid streaming from the virtual reservoir to the virtual channel, allowing the virtual channel to be filled with the driven fluid fully. | 12-08-2011 |
20120000782 | UNIFORM ELECTRICAL FIELD DIELECTRIC BARRIER DISCHARGE REACTOR - A uniform electrical field dielectric barrier discharge reactor consists of an electrode unit, a dielectric catalyst container and an insulative housing. Each electrode plate of the electrode unit includes an insulative plane frame structure, and discharge needles evenly distributed on the insulative plane frame structure. The dielectric catalyst container is a hollow solid member internally coated with a metallic catalyst coating layer. The flow directing plate is made of a conducting substrate, having two opposite sides thereof covered by a metallic catalyst coating layer. The invention is practical for use in an air purifier, fluid sterilizer or waste water treatment equipment. | 01-05-2012 |
20120024708 | SINGLE-SIDED CONTINUOUS OPTOELECTROWETTING (SCEOW) DEVICE FOR DROPLET MANIPULATION WITH LIGHT PATTERNS - A single-sided continuous optoelectrowetting (SCOEW) device for manipulating droplets retained in a fluid over the SCOEW device with dynamic patterns of low intensity light, such as from a display screen, is described. A single pair of lateral electrodes are utilized for providing a lateral electric field bias, with transport motion controlled in response to projecting light through a photoconductive layer and dielectric layer adjacent to which droplets are retained. The device is configured for optically manipulating droplets having volumes spanning over five orders of magnitude, and can be configured to perform droplet dispensing, transport, splitting, merging, mixing and other droplet manipulation functions involving any of the above on a single sided surface. | 02-02-2012 |
20120103817 | DIELECTRIC CYTOMETRIC APPARATUS AND DIELECTRIC-CYTOMETRIC CELL SORTING METHOD - Disclosed herein is a dielectric cytometric apparatus capable of analyzing cells and sorting the cells without adopting an optical analysis method and provides a dielectric cytometric cell sorting method for the apparatus. A stenosis channel allowing a single cell to flow is created on a cell injection section of a micro flow channel device used as a portion of the dielectric cytometric apparatus. A pair of measurement electrodes is created on the stenosis channel and an analyzer connected to the measurement electrodes measures the complex dielectric constant of for every cell passing through the stenosis channel. A electric-field application section provided on the downstream side of the stenosis channel applies an electric field for changing the flow of the cells inside a flow channel on the basis of information on the measured complex dielectric constants so that the cells can be sorted by making use of branch channels. | 05-03-2012 |
20120160692 | LIQUID MEDIUM PLASMA DISCHARGE GENERATING APPARATUS - A liquid medium plasma discharge generating apparatus includes a main body; a power electrode, provided at one side within the main body, for receiving electric power; a diaphragm member provided within the main body, and consisting of a dielectric defining one or more holes or slits; and a liquid medium charged inside the main body, wherein a ground electrode may be further provided in the main body, opposite the power electrode with the diaphragm member therebetween, whereupon the diaphragm member is arranged contacting the ground electrode. | 06-28-2012 |
20120199487 | MICROFLUIDIC SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ASSEMBLING AND FOR SUBSEQUENTLY CULTIVATING, AND SUBSEQUENT ANALYSIS OF COMPLEX CELL ARRANGEMENTS - The present invention provides an apparatus and a method to assemble organotypical tissues which can then be perfused and investigated under preferably physiological conditions. This is achieved by a microfluidic system for assembling and subsequently cultivating complex cell arrangements, comprising: a three-dimensional microstructure in which the cell arrangement is assembled and cultivated, at least two microchannel segments running in the microstructure and defining a flow direction, through which microchannel segments the microstructure can be perfused from outside with a medium, whereby the microchannel segments run approximately parallel or equidistant to one another at least in sections, a wall structure which separates the at least two microchannel segments and in which at least one aperture connecting the at least two microchannel segments is provided, and an electrode arrangement provided in or on the microstructure in order to generate an inhomogeneous electric field in the region of the at least one aperture. | 08-09-2012 |
20120247960 | BIDIRECTIONAL ELECTROWETTING ACTUATION WITH VOLTAGE POLARITY DEPENDENCE - A novel electrowetting system for the smooth continuous movement of a droplet across a single circuit using a continuous applied voltage regardless of polarity. The actuation of the droplet is achieved by introducing a diode into the idealized electrical circuit of the electrowetting system. The diode is in parallel with a capacitor (dielectric) and effectively shorts the droplet on the side of a lower potential electrode so that the entire voltage drop is across the dielectric over the opposite electrode. This creates an energy imbalance that moves the droplet towards the higher potential. If the voltage polarity is reversed, the direction of actuation will reverse as well. | 10-04-2012 |
20120261264 | Droplet Operations Device - The invention provides droplet actuators with droplet operations surfaces for manipulating droplets, e.g., by conducting droplet operations. The droplet operations surfaces are typically exposed to a droplet operations gap. One or more regions of a droplet operation surface may include patterned topographic features. The invention also provides a droplet actuator in which one or both gap-facing droplet operations surfaces is formed using a removable film. The removable film may, in various embodiments, also include other components ordinarily associated with the droplet actuator substrate, such as the dielectric layer and the electrodes. Further, the invention provides droplet actuator devices and methods for coupling and/or sealing substrates of a droplet actuator, such as techniques for self-aligning assembly of droplet actuator substrates. The invention provides droplet actuators and methods of disassembling the droplet actuator in order to provide access for cleaning and/or recycling of droplet actuator surfaces. | 10-18-2012 |
20120305400 | MONOLITHICALLY FORMED EWOD DEVICE AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME - A monolithic fabrication method of parallel-plate electrowetting-on-dielectric (EWOD) chips for digital microfluidics of picoliter droplets is disclosed. Instead of assembling a second substrate to form a top plate, the top plate is generated in situ as a thin-film membrane that forms a monolithic cavity having a gap height on the order of micrometers with excellent accuracy and uniformity. The membrane is embedded with EWOD driving electrodes and confines droplets against the device substrate to perform digital microfluidic operations. Two main attributes of the monolithic architecture that distinguish it from tradition methods are: (i) it enables excellent control of droplet dimensions down to the micrometer scale, and (ii) it does not require the typical alignment and assembly steps of the two plates. | 12-06-2012 |
20120312690 | Method and Apparatus for Separating Particles by Dielectrophoresis - Particle separation apparatus separate particles and particle populations using dielectrophoretic (DEP) forces generated by one or more pairs of electrically coupled electrodes separated by a gap. Particles suspended in a fluid are separated by DEP forces generated by the at least one electrode pair at the gap as they travel over a separation zone comprising the electrode pair. Selected particles are deflected relative to the flow of incoming particles by DEP forces that are affected by controlling applied potential, gap width, and the angle linear gaps with respect to fluid flow. The gap between an electrode pair may be a single, linear gap of constant gap, a single linear gap having variable width, or a be in the form of two or more linear gaps having constant or variable gap width having different angles with respect to one another and to the flow. | 12-13-2012 |
20130087459 | DEVICE FOR VARYING WETTING PROPERTIES OF DROPLET AND DEVICE FOR SEPARATING PARTICLES USING THE SAME - Provided are a device for varying wetting properties and a device for separating particles using the same. The magnitude and switching period of a voltage applied to a droplet are changed to separate particles contained in the droplet based on mass or size. The device for varying wetting properties includes an electrode layer that is electrically conductive with one of different electrical polarities, an insulating layer disposed at one side of the electrode layer, and a droplet that is in contact with the other polarity and contains different particles desired to be separated. Wetting properties of the droplet are varied according to application of a voltage. | 04-11-2013 |
20130118905 | BIOLOGICAL SAMPLE IMMOBILIZING APPARATUS - A biological sample immobilizing apparatus is provided, comprising a holding unit which holds a biological sample, a pair of electrodes which allows a dielectrophoretic force to act on the biological sample to move the biological sample to the holding unit, and a power source which applies an AC voltage to the pair of electrodes. Accordingly, a plurality of components contained in the biological sample can be conveniently separated into individuals one by one and respective genes thereof can be analyzed one by one quickly and simultaneously, while providing a high density and being miniaturized. | 05-16-2013 |
20140034502 | PARTICLE TRANSPORTER - A particle transporter based on travelling-wave dielectrophoresis is provided. The particle transporter includes a common electrode, a plurality of left switch electrodes and a plurality of right switch electrodes. The left switch electrodes and the right switch electrodes are respectively disposed adjacent to different ends at one side of the common electrode. The left switch electrodes are disposed on the substrate along a first straight-line direction. The left switch electrodes are parallel to the common electrode and provide a left switch channel to transport a plurality of particles. The right switch electrodes are disposed on the substrate along a second straight-line direction. The right switch electrodes are parallel to the common electrode and provide a right switch channel to transport the particles. | 02-06-2014 |
20140034503 | PARTICLE TRANSPORTER - A particle transporter based on travelling-wave dielectrophoresis is provided. The particle transporter includes a first collection electrode and a second collection electrode on a substrate. The first collection electrode has a first dentate portion. The second collection electrode is located adjacent to the first dentate portion of the first collection electrode. The second collection electrode has a second dentate portion at a side adjacent to the first dentate portion. Where, a particle collection space is formed around tips of the first dentate portion and the second dentate portion. | 02-06-2014 |
20140054174 | HIGH-VOLTAGE MICROFLUIDIC DROPLETS ACTUATION BY LOW-VOLTAGE FABRICATION TECHNOLOGIES - A bi-state-switch low-voltage fabrication technique is able to be used to construct microfluidic systems leveraging well-established low-voltage semiconductor fabrication technologies to achieve high-voltage droplet actuation applications with lower costs, smaller device sizes, and also less time. Also, the electrode cells are able to be made using the well-established low-voltage CMOS fabrication technologies, which can be used to make large-scale integrated microelectronics and microfluidics. | 02-27-2014 |
20140124373 | PARTICLE MANIPULATION SYSTEM AND PROJECTION DEVICE - A particle manipulation system and a projection device are provided. The projection device includes an image source and a projection lens. The image source provides an image beam. The projection lens is disposed on a light path of the image beam and includes a zoom lens set and a focusing lens set. The zoom lens set is disposed on the light path of the image beam from the image source and includes at least two lens groups disposed in sequence on the light path of the image beam. The focusing lens set is disposed on the light path of the image beam. The zoom lens set is disposed between the image source and the focusing lens set. A photoconductor chip is disposed on the light path of the image beam from the projection lens. | 05-08-2014 |
20140246322 | FLOW CHANNEL DEVICE AND SORTING APPARATUS - Provided is a flow channel device including: a flow channel through which a fluid including particles flow; a plurality of branch channels branching from the flow channel; a measurement portion that is provided at a predetermined position in the flow channel and configured to measure electrical characteristics when the particles pass the predetermined position; an operation portion that is provided on a downstream side of the measurement portion and on an upstream side of the plurality of branch channels and configured to apply a dielectrophoretic force to the particles by forming an electric field; and an electrical first guard portion provided between the measurement portion and the operation portion. | 09-04-2014 |
20140251813 | BIPOLAR ELECTRODE SAMPLE PREPARATION DEVICES - An analyte selection device can include: a body defining a fluid channel having a channel inlet and channel outlet; a bipolar electrode (BPE) between the inlet and outlet; one of an anode or cathode electrically coupled with the BPE on a channel inlet side of the BPE and the other of the anode or cathode electrically coupled with the BPE on a channel outlet side of the BPE; and an electronic system operably coupled with the anode and cathode so as to polarize the BPE. The fluid channel can have any shape or dimension. The channel inlet and channel outlet can be longitudinal or lateral with respect to the longitudinal axis of the channel. The BPE can be any metallic member, such as a flat plate on a wall or mesh as a barrier BPE. The anode and cathode can be located at a position that polarizes the BPE. | 09-11-2014 |
20150014171 | MICROFLUIDIC PARTICLE SEPARATION DEVICE - A microfluidic particle separation device includes a substrate and a plurality of electrode bars formed on the substrate, disposed around as array center, angularly spaced apart from one another, and extending radially with respect to the array center so as to form a radially-extending electrode array that is capable of inducing circular or elliptical shear flow of the liquid through travelling-wave electroosmosis when being applied with a travelling-wave electric potential. | 01-15-2015 |
20150021189 | Multiplexed Detection Schemes for a Droplet Actuator - A droplet actuator configured to improve the throughput of droplet operations in a detection spot of the droplet actuator and/or to reduce carryover problems is provided. The droplet actuator may include electrodes configured for effecting droplet operations transporting droplets on a surface; a sensor arranged in proximity to one or more of the electrodes establishing a detection window on the surface for detection of one or more properties of one or more droplets on the surface; wherein the electrodes may establish at least two pathways for transport of droplets into the detection window. | 01-22-2015 |
20150027895 | Method and Apparatus for Programmable Fluidic Processing - A method and apparatus for microfluidic processing by programmably manipulating a packet. A material is introduced onto a reaction surface and compartmentalized to form a packet. A position of the packet is sensed with a position sensor. A programmable manipulation force is applied to the packet at the position. The programmable manipulation force is adjustable according to packet position by a controller. The packet is programmably moved according to the programmable manipulation force along arbitrarily chosen paths. | 01-29-2015 |
20150041325 | CONTINUOUS WHOLE-CHIP 3-DIMENSIONAL DEP CELL SORTER AND RELATED FABRICATION METHOD - A 3-dimensional PDMS cell sorter having multiple passages in a PDMS layer that follow the same path in a DEP separation region and that are in fluid communication with each other within that region. The passages may differ in width transverse to the flow direction within the passages. Flat plates may sandwich the PDMS layer; each plate may have a planar electrode used to generate a DEP field within a sample fluid flowed within the passages. The DEP field may concentrate target cells or particulates within one of the passages within the DEP separation region. The passages may diverge after the DEP-separation region, leaving one passage with a high concentration of target cells or particulates. Techniques for manufacturing such structures, as well as other micro-fluidic structures, are also provided. | 02-12-2015 |
20150060284 | Apparatuses and Methods for Manipulating Droplets - Apparatuses and methods for manipulating droplets are disclosed. In one embodiment, an apparatus for manipulating droplets is provided, the apparatus including a substrate, multiple arrays of electrodes disposed on the substrate, wherein corresponding electrodes in each array are connected to a common electrical signal, and a dielectric layer disposed on the substrate first side surface and patterned to cover the electrodes. | 03-05-2015 |
20150136607 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CHARACTERIZING AND COUNTING PARTICLES, IN PARTICULAR BIOLOGICAL PARTICLES - Methods and apparatus are described for the processing (for example washing, incubation, etc.) of particles in which the particles suspended in a first fluid are introduced under laminar flow conditions into at least one first microchamber or first region of the same, in which a second fluid is introduced under laminar flow conditions into at least one second region of the microchamber or of a second microchamber, in such a way as not to mix with the first fluid, and in which at least one field of force (F) acting on the particles is activated in the microchamber(s), to provoke a shift of the particles alone in a predetermined direction and to transfer the same in suspension into the second fluid; an apparatus is preferably used including at least three microchambers n microchambers arranged in sequence with each other in one direction and each connected with the microchamber immediately before it and after it with two orifices offset from each other in a direction perpendicular to the direction of sequence of the microchambers. | 05-21-2015 |
20160082432 | FLOW CHANNEL DEVICE, ANALYSIS APPARATUS, AND FLUID APPARATUS - [Solving Means] A flow channel device includes a vessel layer and a flow channel layer. The vessel layer includes an injection vessel section into which a fluid including a sample is injected and a collection vessel section that collects the fluid. The flow channel layer includes a flow channel connected to the injection vessel section and the collection vessel section and is bonded to the vessel layer. | 03-24-2016 |