US20150306599A1 - Providing DEP Manipulation Devices And Controllable Electrowetting Devices In The Same Microfluidic Apparatus - Google Patents
Providing DEP Manipulation Devices And Controllable Electrowetting Devices In The Same Microfluidic Apparatus Download PDFInfo
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- US20150306599A1 US20150306599A1 US14/262,200 US201414262200A US2015306599A1 US 20150306599 A1 US20150306599 A1 US 20150306599A1 US 201414262200 A US201414262200 A US 201414262200A US 2015306599 A1 US2015306599 A1 US 2015306599A1
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Definitions
- Micro-objects such as biological cells
- micro-objects suspended in a liquid in a microfluidic apparatus can be sorted, selected, and moved in the apparatus.
- the liquid can also be manipulated in the device.
- Embodiments of the present invention are directed to improvements in manipulating micro-objects and liquid in the same microfluidic apparatus.
- a structure can comprise a dielectrophoresis (DEP) configuration comprising an outer surface and an electrowetting (EW) configuration comprising an electrowetting surface.
- DEP dielectrophoresis
- EW electrowetting
- the DEP configuration can be disposed adjacent to the EW configuration such that the outer surface of the DEP configuration is adjacent to the electrowetting surface.
- Some embodiments of the invention can be directed to a process of operating a microfluidic apparatus comprising a chamber, dielectrophoresis (DEP) devices, and electrowetting (EW) devices.
- the process can include moving a micro-object from a first outer surface of a first of the DEP devices to a second outer surface of a second of the DEP devices. This can be accomplished by activating the second DEP device and thereby creating a net DEP force on the micro-object in a direction of the second DEP device.
- the process can further include moving a droplet of a liquid medium from a first location to a second location in the chamber by activating a second of the EW devices and thereby changing a wetting property of a second electrowetting surface of the second EW device.
- the droplet in the first location, can be disposed in part on a first electrowetting surface of a first of the EW devices but not on the second electrowetting surface of the second EW device. In the second location, the droplet can be disposed in part on the second electrowetting surface of the second EW device but not on the first electrowetting surface of the first EW device.
- Some embodiments of the invention can be directed to such a process that includes disposing a droplet of a first liquid medium on first outer surfaces of a first set of the DEP devices and first electrowetting surfaces of a first set of the EW devices.
- the process can also include separating a first part of the droplet from a second part of the droplet by activating second electrowetting surfaces of a second set of the EW devices and thereby changing a wetting property of the second electrowetting surfaces.
- FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of an example of a microfluidic apparatus with a structure comprising dielectrophoresis (DEP) configurations and electrowetting (EW) configurations according to some embodiments of the invention.
- DEP dielectrophoresis
- EW electrowetting
- FIG. 2A is a partial, cross-sectional, side view of an example of a DEP device comprising one of the DEP configurations of FIG. 1 according to some embodiments of the invention.
- FIG. 2B shows an embodiment of a switchable element of the DEP device of FIG. 2A comprising a photoconductive material in which low impedance electrical paths can be created with a beam of light according to some embodiments of the invention.
- FIG. 3 is an example of an embodiment of a switchable element of the DEP device of FIG. 2A comprising switches for temporarily creating low impedance electrical paths between a biasing electrode and an outer surface of the switchable element according to some embodiments of the invention.
- FIG. 4 shows an example in which the switches of FIG. 3 are implemented as transistors according to some embodiments of the invention.
- FIG. 5A is a partial, cross-sectional, side view of an example of an EW device comprising one of the EW configurations of FIG. 1 according to some embodiments of the invention.
- FIG. 5B shows an embodiment of a switchable element of the EW device of FIG. 5A comprising a photoconductive material in which a low impedance electrical path can be created with a beam of light according to some embodiments of the invention.
- FIG. 6 is an example of an embodiment of the switchable element of the EW device of FIG. 5A comprising switches for temporarily creating low impedance electrical paths between a biasing electrode and an outer surface of the switchable element according to some embodiments of the invention.
- FIG. 7 illustrates an example in which a structure of the microfluidic apparatus of FIG. 1 comprises DEP configurations and EW configurations integrated into a single, monolithic switchable element according to some embodiments of the invention.
- FIG. 8 shows an example in which the structure of the microfluidic apparatus of FIG. 1 comprises structurally distinct DEP configurations and structurally distinct EW configurations according to some embodiments of the invention.
- FIG. 9 is an example in which a structure of the microfluidic apparatus of FIG. 1 comprises a support structure, where DEP configurations are integrated into sections of the support structure and stand alone distinct EW configurations are disposed in cavities in the support structure according to some embodiments of the invention.
- FIG. 10 shows an example in which a structure of the microfluidic apparatus of FIG. 1 comprises DEP configurations in which switches are embedded into a switchable element and EW configurations that comprise photoconductive material in embedded isolation barriers according to some embodiments of the invention.
- FIG. 11 illustrates an embodiment of the microfluidic apparatus of FIG. 1 comprising DEP devices and EW devices disposed in alternating patterns according to some embodiments of the invention.
- FIGS. 12A-12C show partial, cross-sectional, side views of the enclosure of FIG. 11 and illustrate an example of operation of the microfluidic apparatus of FIG. 11 according to some embodiments of the invention.
- FIG. 13 is an example of a process for operating the apparatus of FIG. 11 in accordance with the operations illustrated in FIGS. 12A-12C according to some embodiments of the invention.
- FIGS. 14A-14C show top views of the enclosure of FIG. 11 with the cover removed and illustrate another example of operation of the microfluidic apparatus of FIG. 11 according to some embodiments of the invention.
- FIG. 15 is an example of a process for operating the apparatus of FIG. 11 in accordance with the operations illustrated in FIGS. 14A-14C according to some embodiments of the invention.
- substantially means sufficient to work for the intended purpose.
- the term “substantially” thus allows for minor, insignificant variations from an absolute or perfect state, dimension, measurement, result, or the like such as would be expected by a person of ordinary skill in the field but that do not appreciably affect overall performance.
- “substantially” means within ten percent.
- the term “ones” means more than one.
- micro-object can encompass one or more of the following: inanimate micro-objects such as micro-particles, micro-beads, micro-wires, and the like; biological micro-objects such as cells (e.g., proteins, embryos, plasmids, oocytes, sperms, hydridomas, and the like); and/or a combination of inanimate micro-objects and biological micro-objects (e.g., micro-beads attached to cells).
- inanimate micro-objects such as micro-particles, micro-beads, micro-wires, and the like
- biological micro-objects such as cells (e.g., proteins, embryos, plasmids, oocytes, sperms, hydridomas, and the like)
- cells e.g., proteins, embryos, plasmids, oocytes, sperms, hydridomas, and the like
- a “fluidic circuit” means one or more fluidic structures (e.g., chambers, channels, pens, reservoirs, or the like), which can be interconnected.
- a “fluidic circuit frame” means one or more walls that define all or part of a fluidic circuit.
- a “droplet” of liquid medium includes a single droplet or a plurality of droplets that together form a single volume of the liquid medium.
- Some embodiments of the invention include a structure comprising a structural boundary (e.g., a floor, ceiling, or side) of a chamber or other fluidic structure in a microfluidic apparatus.
- the structure can comprise one or more dielectrophoresis (DEP) configurations each having an outer surface and one or more electrowetting (EW) configurations each having an electrowetting surface.
- the boundary can comprise the outer surfaces of the DEP configurations and the electrowetting surfaces of the EW configurations.
- the DEP configurations can facilitate generating net DEP forces with respect to the outer surfaces of the DEP configurations to move micro-objects on the outer surfaces, and the EW configurations can facilitate changing a wetting property of the electrowetting surfaces to move droplets of liquid medium.
- Such a structure can be part of a microfluidic apparatus, and can thus provide in one microfluidic apparatus the ability both to manipulate micro-objects on the outer surfaces of the DEP configurations and to manipulate droplets of medium on the electrowetting surfaces of the EW configurations.
- FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a microfluidic apparatus 100 that can include a structure 104 that comprises both DEP configurations 122 and EW configurations 126 . Also shown are examples of control equipment 132 for controlling operation of the apparatus 100 .
- the apparatus 100 can be physically structured in many different ways, in the example shown in FIG. 1 , the apparatus 100 is depicted as including an enclosure 102 that comprises a structure 104 (e.g., a base), a fluidic circuit frame 108 , and a cover 110 , which define a fluidic chamber 112 in which one or more liquid media can be disposed.
- the structure 104 can comprise one or more DEP configured sections 122 (hereinafter “DEP configurations”) and one or more EW configured sections 126 (hereinafter “EW configurations”).
- DEP configuration 122 can comprise an outer surface 124 and can be configured to temporarily create a net DEP force on a micro-object (not shown in FIG. 1 ) in a liquid medium (not shown in FIG. 1 ) on the outer surface 124 .
- the outer surface 124 can be hydrophilic.
- Each EW configuration 126 can comprise an electrowetting surface 128 and can be configured to temporarily change a wetting property of the electrowetting surface 128 or a region of the electrowetting surface 128 .
- the electrowetting surface 128 can be hydrophobic but the EW configuration 126 can be configured to temporarily change the electrowetting surface 128 or a region of the electrowetting surface 128 to be less hydrophobic or even hydrophilic.
- FIG. 1 illustrates the structure 104 as comprising one relatively large DEP configuration 122 with multiple EW configurations 126 disposed in the DEP configuration 122
- the structure 104 can comprise one relatively large EW configuration 126 (e.g., in place of the DEP configuration 122 in FIG. 1 ) and multiple DEP configurations 122 (e.g., in place of the EW configurations 126 in FIG. 1 ).
- the structure 104 can comprise multiple DEP configurations 122 and multiple EW configurations 126 .
- the structure 104 can comprise a structural boundary 106 (e.g., a floor, ceiling, or side) of one or more fluidic portions of a fluidic circuit defined by the fluidic circuit frame 108 .
- the structural boundary 106 can be a floor of the chamber 112 as shown.
- the structural boundary 106 can comprise the outer surfaces 124 of the DEP configurations 122 and the electrowetting surfaces 128 of the EW configurations 126 .
- the boundary 106 of the structure 104 can thus be a composite surface of one or more outer surfaces 124 of one or more DEP configurations 122 and one or more electrowetting surfaces 128 of one or more EW configurations 126 .
- the outer surfaces 124 and the electrowetting surfaces 128 can be substantially parallel. In some embodiments, the outer surfaces 124 and the electrowetting surfaces 128 can also be in substantially the same plane (e.g., as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 8 ), and the structural boundary 106 of the structure 104 can thus be substantially planar. In other embodiments, the outer surfaces 124 and the electrowetting surfaces 128 are not in the same plane but can nevertheless be substantially parallel (e.g., as in the example shown in FIG. 7 ).
- Each DEP configuration 122 (and thus each outer surface 124 ) and each EW configuration 126 (and thus each electrowetting surface 128 ) can have any desired shape. Moreover, the DEP configurations 122 (and thus the outer surfaces 124 ) and the EW configurations 126 (and thus the electrowetting surfaces 128 ) can be disposed in any desired pattern.
- FIG. 11 illustrates an example in which the structure 104 comprises multiple DEP configurations 122 and multiple EW configurations 126 disposed in alternating patterns.
- the fluidic circuit frame 108 can be disposed on the structure 104 (e.g., on the boundary 106 of the structure 104 ), and the cover 110 can be disposed over the fluidic circuit frame 108 .
- the fluidic circuit frame 108 can define a fluidic circuit comprising, for example, interconnected fluidic chambers, channels, pens, reservoirs, and the like.
- the fluidic circuit frame 108 defines a chamber 112
- the boundary 106 of the structure 104 can be, for example, a lower boundary of the chamber 112 .
- the structure 104 can be the top and the cover 110 can be the bottom of the apparatus 100 .
- the chamber 112 can include one or more inlets 114 and one or more similar outlets (not shown).
- the structure 104 can comprise, for example, a substrate or a plurality of interconnected substrates.
- the structure 104 can comprise a semiconductor substrate, a printed circuit board substrate, or the like.
- the fluidic circuit frame 108 can comprise a flexible material (e.g. rubber, plastic, an elastomer, silicone, polydimethylsioxane (“PDMS”), or the like), which can be gas permeable.
- the cover 110 can be an integral part of the fluidic circuit frame 108 , or the cover 110 can be a structurally distinct element (as illustrated in FIG. 1 ).
- the cover 110 can comprise the same or different materials than the fluidic circuit frame 108 . Regardless, the cover 110 and/or the structure 104 can be transparent to light.
- FIG. 1 also illustrates examples of control equipment 132 that can be utilized with the microfluidic apparatus 100 .
- control equipment 132 include a master controller 134 , a DEP module 142 for controlling the DEP devices 120 of which the DEP configurations 122 of the structure 104 are a part, and an EW module 144 for controlling EW devices 130 of which the EW configurations 126 of the structure 104 are a part.
- the control equipment 132 can also include other modules 140 for controlling, monitoring, or performing other functions with respect to the microfluidic apparatus 100 .
- the master controller 134 can comprise a control module 136 and a digital memory 138 .
- the control module 136 can comprise, for example, a digital processor configured to operate in accordance with machine executable instructions (e.g., software, firmware, microcode, or the like) stored in the memory 138 .
- the control module 136 can comprise hardwired digital circuitry and/or analog circuitry.
- the DEP module 142 , the EW module 144 , and/or the other modules 140 can be similarly configured.
- functions, processes, acts, actions, or steps of a process discussed herein as being performed with respect to the apparatus 100 can be performed by one or more of the master controller 134 , DEP module 142 , EW module 144 , or other modules 140 configured as discussed above.
- an electrical biasing device 118 can be connected to the apparatus 100 .
- the electrical biasing device 118 can, for example, comprise one or more voltage or current sources.
- each DEP configuration 122 of the structure 104 can be part of a different DEP device 120 built into the enclosure 102 for temporarily generating net DEP forces on micro-objects (not shown in FIG. 1 ) in liquid medium (not shown in FIG. 1 ) on the outer surface 124 of the DEP configuration 122 .
- the DEP force can attract or repeal the nearby micro-objects.
- each EW configuration 126 of the structure 104 can be part of a different EW device 130 built into the enclosure 102 for temporarily changing a wetting property of the electrowetting surface 128 or a region of the electrowetting surface 128 of the EW configuration 126 .
- FIGS. 2A and 2B (which show partial, cross-sectional, side views of the enclosure 102 of FIG. 1 ) illustrate an example of a DEP device 120 .
- the DEP device 120 in FIG. 1 and each DEP device 120 in any figure can be configured like the DEP device 120 shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B or any variation thereof (e.g., as illustrated in FIG. 3 or 4 ).
- a DEP device 120 can comprise a biasing electrode 202 , a switchable element 212 , and another biasing electrode 204 (which can be an example of a first electrode or a second electrode).
- the biasing electrode 202 can be part of the cover 102
- the switchable element 212 and the other biasing electrode 204 can be part of the structure 104 .
- the biasing electrode 202 can also be part of the structure 104 .
- the chamber 112 can be between the biasing electrode 202 and the switchable element 212 , which can be located between the chamber 112 and the other biasing electrode 204 .
- the chamber 112 is illustrated in FIG.
- the outer surface 124 can be an outer surface of the switchable element 212 .
- a layer of material (not shown) can be disposed on the surface of the switchable element 212 , and the outer surface 124 of that layer of material can comprise the outer surface 124 .
- the outer surface 124 can be hydrophilic.
- the switching element 212 can be said to be disposed between the outer surface 124 and the electrode 204 .
- a first power source 206 (which can be part of the biasing device 118 of FIG. 1 ) can be connected to the electrodes 202 , 204 .
- the first power source 206 can be, for example, an alternating current (AC) voltage or current source.
- the first power source 206 can create a generally uniform electric field between the electrodes 202 , 204 and a weaker field in the chamber 112 , which can result in negligible DEP forces on each micro-object 224 , 226 in the medium 222 on the outer surface 124 of the DEP configuration 122 .
- the impedance of the switchable element 212 can be greater than the impedance of the medium 222 in the chamber 112 so that the voltage drop due to the first power source 206 from the biasing electrode 202 to the other biasing electrode 204 is greater across the switchable element 212 than the voltage drop across the medium 222 .
- the switchable element 212 can be configured, however, to temporarily create a low impedance path 232 (e.g., an electrically conductive path) from a region 230 at or adjacent to the outer surface 124 of the switchable element 212 to the other biasing electrode 204 .
- the impedance of the low impedance path 232 can be less than the impedance of the medium 222 .
- the voltage drop due to the first power source 206 across the medium 222 from the biasing electrode 202 to the region 230 can now be greater than the voltage drop from the region 230 through the low impedance path 232 to the other biasing electrode 204 while the voltage drop across the switchable element 212 otherwise generally remains greater than the voltage drop across the medium 222 .
- This can alter the electric field in the medium 222 in the vicinity of the region 230 , which can create a net DEP force F on a nearby micro-object 224 .
- the force F which as noted above can be configured to alternatively attract or repel the nearby micro-object 224 , can be sufficient to move the micro-object 224 on the outer surface 124 .
- the micro-object 224 can be moved along the surface 124 .
- the micro-object 224 can also be moved from the outer surface 124 of one DEP configuration 122 to the outer surface 124 of another DEP configuration 122 .
- the switchable element 212 can comprise a photoconductive material that has a relatively high electrical impedance except when directly illuminated with a beam of light 242 .
- a narrow beam of light 242 directed onto a relatively small region 230 on or adjacent to the outer surface 124 can significantly reduce the impedance of the illuminated portion of the switchable element 212 thereby creating the low impedance path 232 .
- a low impedance path 232 can be created from any region 230 at or adjacent to any location on the surface 124 of the switchable element 212 to the other biasing electrode 204 by directing a beam of light 242 at the desired location.
- the light 242 can be directed from the bottom as shown in FIG. 2B and/or from above (not shown) and thus through the electrode 202 and first medium 222 .
- FIG. 3 illustrates another example 300 of the DEP device 120 . That is, the example DEP device 300 of FIG. 3 can replace any instance of the DEP device 120 in any of the figures.
- the switchable element 212 of the DEP device 120 of FIG. 3 comprises one or more (six are shown but there can be fewer or more) switches 302 that can be temporarily activated to electrically connect a fixed region 330 on or adjacent to the surface 124 of the switching element 212 to the biasing electrode 204 .
- Activating a switch 302 can thus create a low impedance path (like path 232 in FIG. 2B ) from a fixed region 330 on or adjacent to the surface 124 of the switchable element 212 to the other biasing electrode 204 .
- the DEP device 120 can be like the DEP device 120 of FIG. 2B and like numbered elements can be the same.
- multiple switches 302 are shown connecting multiple relatively small regions 330 of the surface 124 to the electrode 204 .
- a low impedance electrical path like path 232 in FIG. 2B can be temporarily created from any of the regions 330 to the electrode 204 by activating the corresponding switch 302 .
- net DEP forces F (see FIG. 2B ) can be selectively created with respect to the individual regions 330 .
- the surface 124 is one region 330 , and activating the switch 302 can temporarily create a net DEP force with respect to essentially the entire surface 124 .
- Each switch 302 can include a control 304 for activating (e.g., closing) and deactivating (e.g., opening) the switch 302 .
- the switches 302 can be controlled in any manner.
- the switches 302 can be controlled by the presence or absence of a beam of light on the control 304 .
- the switches 302 can be toggled by directing a beam of light onto the control 304 .
- the switches 302 can be electronically controlled rather than light controlled. The switches 302 can thus alternatively be controlled by providing control signals to the controls 304 .
- FIG. 4 illustrates an example configuration of the switches 302 of FIG. 3 .
- the switchable element 212 can comprise a semiconductor material
- each switch 302 can be a transistor 410 integrated into the semiconductor material of the switching element 212 .
- each transistor 410 can comprise a first region 402 at the outer surface 124 , a second region 406 in contact with the biasing electrode 204 , and a control region 404 .
- the transistor 410 can be configured so that the first region 402 is electrically connected to the second region 406 to create a low impedance path (like the path 232 in FIG. 2B ) from a fixed region 330 of the surface 124 to the biasing electrode 204 only when the control region 404 is activated.
- each transistor 410 can be activated and deactivated by beams of light.
- each transistor 410 can be a phototransistor whose control region 404 is activated or deactivated by the presence or absence of a beam of light.
- the control region 404 of each transistor can be hardwired and thus activated and deactivated electronically.
- the transistors 410 can be any type of transistor including bipolar transistors (BJTO) or field effect (FET) transistors.
- the body of the switching element 212 and thus the second region 406 of each transistor 410 can be doped with a first type of dopant (e.g., an n or p type dopant), and the first region 402 can also be doped with the first type of dopant.
- the control region 404 can be doped with a second type of dopant (e.g., the other of a p or an n type dopant).
- the first region 402 of each transistor 410 can be configured to be a source or a sink of holes, and the body of the switching element 212 and thus the second region 406 of each transistor 410 can be configured to be the other of a sink or source for holes.
- the transistors 410 are bipolar transistors
- the first regions 402 can be emitters or collectors
- the second regions 406 can be the other of collectors or emitters
- the control regions 404 can be bases of the transistors 410 .
- the transistors 410 are FET type transistors
- the first regions 402 can be sources or drains
- the second regions 406 can be the other of drains or sources
- the control regions 404 can be gates of the transistors 410 .
- isolation barriers 408 can be disposed in the switching element 212 between the transistors 410 .
- the isolation barriers 408 can comprise, for example, trenches in the switching element 212 , and the trenches can be filled with a switchable element.
- the DEP devices 120 , 300 illustrated in FIGS. 2A-4 are but examples of possible configurations of the DEP devices 120 in the apparatus 100 .
- the DEP devices 120 can be optoelectronic tweezers (OET) devices examples of which are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,612,355 or U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/051,004.
- Other examples of the DEP devices 120 include electronically controlled electrodes.
- FIGS. 5A and 5B (which show partial, cross-sectional, side views of the enclosure 102 of FIG. 1 ) illustrate an example of an EW device 130 .
- Each EW device 130 in FIG. 1 (or any other figure (e.g., FIG. 11 )) can be configured like the EW device 130 shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B or any variation thereof (e.g., as illustrated in FIG. 6 ).
- an EW device 130 can comprise a biasing electrode 502 , a dielectric material 514 , a switchable element 512 , and another biasing electrode 504 (which can be an example of a first or a second electrode).
- the biasing electrode 502 can be part of the cover 102 , and the dielectric material 514 , the switchable element 512 , and the other biasing electrode 504 can be part of the structure 104 .
- the biasing electrode 502 can also be part of the structure 104 .
- the chamber 112 can be between the biasing electrode 502 and the dielectric material 514 , and the switchable element 512 can be disposed between the dielectric material 514 and the biasing electrode 504 .
- the chamber 112 is illustrated in FIG.
- the first liquid medium 222 (see FIG. 2A ), the second liquid medium, and the third liquid medium 522 can be any of many types of media.
- the second medium of the droplet 524 can be a medium that is immiscible in the third medium 522 .
- the second medium of the droplet 524 can comprise an aqueous medium
- the third medium 522 can comprise an oil based medium.
- suitable oils include gas permeable oils such as fluorinated oils. Fluorocarbon based oils are also examples of suitable oils.
- the first medium 222 and the second medium of the droplet 524 can be the same type of medium.
- the electrowetting surface 128 can instead be an outer surface of a material (e.g., a coating) (not shown) disposed on the dielectric material 514 .
- the dielectric material 514 can be said to be between the electrowetting surface 128 and the switching element 512 .
- a second power source 506 (which can be part of the biasing device 118 of FIG. 1 ) can be connected to the electrodes 502 , 504 .
- the second power source 506 can be, for example, an alternating current (AC) voltage or current source.
- the second power source 506 can create a generally uniform electric field between the electrodes 502 , 504 , which can result in a negligible change of a contact angle of the droplet 524 on the electrowetting surface 128 of the EW configuration 126 and thus a negligible change in a wetting property of the electrowetting surface 128 .
- the impedance of the switchable element 512 can be greater than the impedance of the dielectric material 514 so that the voltage drop due to the second power source 506 from the biasing electrode 502 to the other biasing electrode 504 is greater across the switchable element 512 than the voltage drop across the dielectric material 514 .
- the switchable element 512 can be configured, however, to temporarily create a low impedance path 532 (e.g., an electrically conductive path) from a region 528 at an interface between the switchable element 512 and the dielectric material 514 to the other biasing electrode 504 .
- the impedance of the low impedance path 532 can be less than the impedance of the dielectric material 514 .
- the voltage drop due to the second power source 506 across the dielectric material 514 can now be greater than the voltage drop from the region 528 through the low impedance path 532 to the other biasing electrode 504 while the voltage drop across other portions of the switchable element 512 remains greater than the voltage drop across the dielectric material 514 .
- This can alter the electric field between the electrodes 502 , 504 in the vicinity of the region 528 , which can change the wetting property of the electrowetting surface 128 at a region 530 of the surface 128 adjacent to the region 528 .
- the foregoing can increase the wetting property of the electrowetting surface 128 at the region 530 , which can cause the droplet 524 to move M to the region 530 .
- the electrowetting surface 128 can be hydrophobic, but creating the low impedance path 532 can temporarily make the surface 128 at the region 530 less hydrophobic or even hydrophilic.
- the droplet 524 can be moved along the electrowetting surface 128 .
- the droplet 524 can also be moved from the electrowetting surface 128 of one EW device 130 to the electrowetting surface 128 of another EW device 130 .
- the switchable element 512 can be configured in any of the ways the switchable element 212 of FIGS. 2A and 2B can be configured.
- the switchable element 512 shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B can comprise a photoconductive material that has a relatively high electrical impedance except when illuminated with a direct beam of light 542 .
- a narrow beam of light 542 directed onto the region 528 can significantly reduced the impedance of the illuminated portion of the switchable element 512 thereby creating the low impedance path 532 .
- a low impedance path 532 can be created from any region 528 anywhere at the interface between the switchable element 512 and the dielectric material 514 to the second electrode 504 by directing a beam of light 542 onto the region 528 .
- the wetting property of a corresponding region 530 on the electrowetting surface 128 can thus be changed anywhere on the electrowetting surface 128 .
- FIG. 6 illustrates another example 600 of the EW device 130 . That is, the example EW device 600 of FIG. 6 can replace any instance of the EW device 130 in any of the figures.
- the switchable element 512 of the EW device 600 of FIG. 6 can comprise one or more (six are shown but there can be fewer or more) switches 602 that can be temporarily activated to electrically connect a fixed region 628 at the interface between the switchable element 512 and the dielectric material 514 to the biasing electrode 504 .
- Activating a switch 602 can thus create a low impedance path (like path 532 in FIG. 5B ) from a fixed region 528 at the interface between the switchable element 512 and the dielectric material 514 to the biasing electrode 504 , which can change the wetting property at a corresponding fixed region 630 on the electrowetting surface 128 .
- the EW device 600 can be like the EW device 130 of FIG. 5B and like numbered elements can be the same.
- Each of the switches 602 in the switchable element 512 can be configured, for example, as transistors generally like the transistors 410 illustrated in FIG. 4 and discussed above.
- multiple switches 602 are shown connecting multiple relatively small regions 628 of the interface of the switchable element 512 to the dielectric material 514 (corresponding to multiple relatively small fixed regions 630 at or adjacent to the electrowetting surface 128 ) to the electrode 504 .
- a wetting property of any of the regions 630 on the electrowetting surface 128 can be temporarily changed by activating a corresponding switch 602 .
- the electrowetting surface 128 is one region 630 , and activating the switch 602 can temporarily change a wetting property of essentially the entire electrowetting surface 128 .
- the EW devices 130 , 600 illustrated in FIGS. 5A-6 are but examples of possible configurations of the EW devices 130 in the apparatus 100 .
- the EW devices 130 can be optoelectronic wetting (OEW) devices examples of which are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,958,132.
- Other examples of the EW devices 130 include electrowetting on dielectric (EWOD) devices, which can be electronically controlled.
- EWOD electrowetting on dielectric
- the structure 104 of FIG. 1 can be physically configured to comprise one or more DEP configurations 122 and one or more EW configurations 126 in any of a variety of ways.
- FIGS. 7-9 illustrate examples.
- multiple DEP configurations 122 and multiple EW configurations 126 can be integrated into a single monolithic component 702 .
- the structure 104 can comprise a monolithic component 702
- the DEP configurations 122 and EW configurations 126 can comprise sections 704 - 710 of the monolithic component 702 .
- the monolithic component 702 can comprise a semiconductor material.
- a first EW configuration 126 a can comprise a dielectric material 514 disposed on one side of a first section 704 of the monolithic component 702 and an electrode 504 on the other side of the first section 704 , which can be configured like switchable element 512 illustrated in FIGS. 5A-6 .
- the first section 704 can comprise photoconductive material generally like the switchable element 512 shown in FIG. 5B .
- the first section 704 can comprise one or more switches like the switches 602 in FIG. 6 , which can be configured as transistors like the transistors 410 of FIG. 4 as discussed above.
- a second EW configuration 126 b can similarly comprise another dielectric material 514 disposed on one side of a third section 708 of the monolithic component 702 and another electrode 504 on the other side of the third section 708 , which can be configured like the switchable element 512 illustrated in any of FIGS. 5A-6 .
- a first DEP configuration 122 a can comprise a second section 706 of the monolithic component 702 and an electrode 204 disposed adjacent to the second section 706 , which can be configured like the switchable element 212 illustrated in FIGS. 2A-4 .
- the second section 706 can comprise photoconductive material generally like the switchable element 212 shown in FIG. 2B .
- the second section 706 can comprise one or more switches like the switches 302 in FIG. 3 , which can be configured as transistors like the transistors 410 of FIG. 4 .
- a second DEP configuration 122 b can similarly comprise a fourth section 710 of the monolithic component 702 and another electrode 204 disposed adjacent to the fourth section 710 , which can be configured like the switchable element 212 illustrated in any of FIGS. 2A-4 .
- a first EW configuration 126 a can be a distinct structure that comprises a dielectric material 514 disposed on one side of a first EW configuration switching element 804 and an electrode 504 on the other side of the switching element 804 .
- the switching element 804 can comprise, for example, semiconductor material, a printed circuit board, or the like.
- the switching element 804 can be configured like switchable element 512 illustrated in any of FIGS. 5A-6 .
- the switching element 804 can comprise photoconductive material generally like the switchable element 512 shown in FIG. 5B .
- the switching element 804 can comprise one or more switches like the switches 602 in FIG. 6 , which can be configured as transistors like the transistors 410 of FIG. 4 as discussed above.
- a second EW configuration 126 b can also be a distinct structure that comprises another dielectric material 514 disposed on one side of a second EW configuration switching element 808 and another electrode 504 on the other side of the switching element 808 .
- the switching element 808 can be the same as or similar to the switching element 804 as discussed above.
- a first DEP configuration 122 a can be a distinct structure that comprises a first DEP configuration switching element 806 and an electrode 204 .
- the switching element 806 can comprise, for example, semiconductor material, a printed circuit board, or the like.
- the switching element 806 can be configured like the switchable element 212 illustrated in any of FIGS. 2A-4 .
- the switching element 806 can comprise photoconductive material generally like the configuration of the switchable element 212 shown in FIG. 2B .
- the switching element 806 can comprise one or more switches like the switches 302 in FIG. 3 , which can be configured as transistors like the transistors 410 of FIG. 4 as discussed above.
- a second DEP configuration 122 b can also be a distinct structure that comprises a second DEP configuration switching element 810 and another electrode 204 .
- the switching element 810 can be like the switching element 806 as discussed above.
- the EW configurations 126 a , 126 b and the DEP configurations 122 a , 122 b can be disposed on a master structure 814 .
- the EW configurations 126 a , 126 b and the DEP configurations 122 a , 122 b can be arranged in any pattern on the master structure 814 .
- the EW configurations 126 a , 126 b and the DEP configurations 122 a , 122 b can be disposed side by side and spaced apart by spacers 812 as illustrated.
- there are no spacers 812 and adjacent to EW configurations 126 a , 126 b and DEP configurations 122 a , 122 b can be abutted against each other.
- Some embodiments do not include a master structure 814 .
- there is not a master structure 814 but the EW configurations 126 a , 126 b and the DEP configurations 122 a , 122 b are adhered one to another.
- the spacers 812 illustrated in FIG. 8 can be an adhesive that adheres sides of adjacent to EW configurations 126 a , 126 b and DEP configurations 122 a , 122 b to each other.
- the master structure 814 can comprise one or more electrically conductive connectors (not shown) to the electrodes 204 and one or more electrically conductive connectors (not shown) to the electrodes 504 .
- Examples of such connectors include electrically conductive vias (not shown) through the master structure 814 .
- the EW configurations 126 a , 126 b and the DEP configurations 122 a , 122 b can be positioned so that the electrowetting surfaces 128 of the EW configurations 126 a , 126 b and the outer surfaces 124 of the DEP configurations 122 a , 122 b are substantially parallel and/or substantially in a same plane.
- the electrowetting surfaces 128 and the outer surfaces 124 can thus form the boundary 106 of the structure 104 .
- the boundary 106 can thus be a composite surface comprising multiple outer surfaces 124 of multiple DEP configurations 122 and multiple electrowetting surfaces 128 of multiple EW configurations 126 .
- the DEP configurations 122 can comprise sections of a master switching element 902
- the EW configurations 126 can comprise stand alone, distinct structures disposed in cavities 916 , 918 in the master switching element 902 .
- a first EW configuration 126 a can be a stand alone, distinct structure that comprises a dielectric material 514 disposed on one side of a first EW configuration switching element 904 and an electrode 504 on the other side of the switching element 904 .
- the switching element 904 can comprise, for example, semiconductor material.
- the switching element 904 can be configured like switchable element 512 illustrated in any of FIGS. 5A-6 .
- the switching element 904 can comprise photoconductive material generally like the switchable element 512 shown in FIG. 5B .
- the switching element 904 can comprise one or more switches like the switches 602 in FIG. 6 , which can be configured as transistors like the transistors 410 of FIG. 4 as discussed above.
- a second EW configuration 126 b can also be a stand alone, distinct structure that comprises another dielectric material 514 disposed on one side of a second EW configuration switching element 908 and another electrode 504 on the other side of the switching element 908 .
- the switching element 908 can comprise, for example, semiconductor material, which can be configured like the switching element 904 as discussed above.
- the EW configurations 126 a , 126 b can be disposed in cavities 916 , 918 in the master switching element 902 .
- a first DEP configuration 122 a can comprise a first section 906 of the master switching element 902 and an electrode 204 disposed adjacent to the first section 906 , which can be configured like the switchable element 212 illustrated in any of FIGS. 2A-4 .
- the first section 906 can comprise photoconductive material generally like the switchable element 212 shown in FIG. 2B .
- the first section 906 can comprise one or more switches like the switches 302 in FIG. 3 , which can be configured as transistors like the transistors 410 of FIG. 4 .
- a second DEP configuration 122 b can similarly comprise a second section 910 of the master switching element 902 and another electrode 204 disposed adjacent to the second section 910 , which can be configured like the switchable element 212 illustrated in FIGS. 2A-4 .
- the sections 906 , 910 of the master switching element 902 that correspond to the DEP configurations 122 a , 122 b can be disposed between the cavities 916 , 918 in which the EW configurations 126 a , 126 b are disposed.
- the cavities 916 , 918 and the EW configurations 126 a , 126 b can be sized and positioned such that the outer surfaces 124 of the DEP configurations 122 a , 122 b and the electrowetting surfaces 128 of the EW configurations 126 a , 126 b and are substantially parallel and/or substantially in a same plane.
- the outer surfaces 124 and the electrowetting surfaces 128 can thus form the boundary 106 of the structure 104 .
- the DEP configurations 122 comprise sections 906 , 910 of a master switching element 902
- the EW configurations 126 are stand alone, distinct structures disposed in cavities 916 , 918 in a master switching element 902
- the EW configurations 126 can comprise sections (e.g., like sections 906 , 910 ) of the master switching element 902
- the DEP configurations 122 can be stand alone, distinct structures (e.g., like the EW configurations 126 shown in FIG. 9 ) disposed in cavities 916 , 918 of the master switching element 902 .
- the first power source 206 can be connected to each of the electrodes 204 and corresponding electrodes 202 (not shown in FIGS. 7-9 ) generally as shown in FIGS. 2A-3 . All of the electrodes 204 in FIGS. 7 and 8 can, for example, be electrically connected to each other.
- the second power source 406 can be connected to the electrodes 504 and corresponding electrodes 502 (not shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 ) in the embodiments of FIGS. 7 and 8 .
- the embodiment of FIG. 9 can also facilitate connecting the second power source 506 to the electrodes 504 of the EW configurations 126 .
- the second power source 506 can connect to electrodes 914 , which are connected (e.g., by electrical connections 912 such as vias, electrically conductive adhesive, or the like) to the electrodes 504 of the EW configurations 126 .
- FIG. 10 illustrates an example of the structure 104 comprising the switchable element 212 configured somewhat as shown in FIG. 3 , and like numbered elements in FIGS. 3 and 10 can be the same.
- the switching element 212 can comprise multiple DEP configurations 122 and multiple EW configurations 126 .
- Each of the DEP configurations 122 can comprise a hydrophilic layer 1002 comprising the outer surface 124 , which can thus be hydrophilic; an electrode 204 ; and a switch 302 for selectively creating a low impedance path (e.g., like path 232 in FIG. 2B ) through the switchable element 212 to the electrode 204 as discussed above.
- a low impedance path e.g., like path 232 in FIG. 2B
- each EW configuration 126 can comprise a dielectric material 514 comprising an electrowetting surface 128 , photoconductive material disposed in one of the isolation barriers 408 , and an electrode 504 .
- an electrical connector 1004 e.g., a via
- Light directed onto the photoconductive material in one of the isolation barriers 408 can create a low impedance path (like path 532 in FIG. 5B ) through the photoconductive material in the illuminated barrier 408 to the electrode 504 and thereby change a wetting property of the electrowetting surface 128 of the EW configuration 126 generally as discussed above with respect to FIG. 5B .
- FIG. 11 illustrates another example configuration of the apparatus 100 .
- the apparatus 100 ′ of FIG. 11 can be generally similar to the apparatus 100 of FIG. 1 , and like numbered elements can be the same. As shown, however, the structure 104 ′ in FIG. 11 comprises multiple DEP devices 120 (each corresponding to one of the illustrated DEP configurations 122 ) and multiple EW devices 130 (each corresponding to one of the EW configurations 126 ). Some or all of the DEP devices 120 and EW devices 130 can be positioned such that the outer surfaces 124 of the DEP configurations 122 and the electrowetting surfaces 128 of the EW configurations 126 of the structure 104 ′ are disposed in an alternating pattern. For example, all or one or more portions of the pattern of DEP devices 120 and EW devices 130 can be such that rows and columns of the pattern comprise alternating outer surfaces 124 and electrowetting surfaces 128 generally as shown in FIG. 11 .
- FIGS. 12A-12C show partial, cross-sectional, side views of the enclosure 102 of the apparatus 100 ′ of FIG. 11 and also illustrates an example of operation of the apparatus 100 ′.
- each DEP device 120 can comprise an electrode 202 that can be part of the cover 110 .
- the cover 110 is illustrated as also comprising a support structure 1202 for the electrodes 202 .
- Each DEP device 120 can also comprise a switchable element 212 and another electrode 204 generally as discussed above with respect to FIG. 2A .
- Each DEP device 120 can also include a hydrophilic material 1002 that comprises the outer surface 124 , which can thus be hydrophilic. Otherwise, each DEP device 120 can be configured and operate in any manner disclosed herein including the examples shown in FIGS. 2A-4 .
- the first power source 206 can be connected to the biasing electrodes 202 and 204 .
- the biasing electrodes 202 on support 1202 can be interconnected with each other, and the biasing electrodes 204 on the switching element 1204 can similarly be interconnected with each other.
- Each EW device 130 can comprise an electrode 502 that can be part of the cover 110 as shown.
- Each EW device 130 can also comprise a dielectric material 514 , switchable element 512 , and another electrode 504 generally as discussed above with respect to FIG. 5A .
- the second power source 506 can be connected to the biasing electrodes 502 and 504 .
- the biasing electrodes 502 on support 1202 can be interconnected with each other, and the biasing electrodes 504 on the switching element 1204 can similarly be interconnected with each other.
- Each EW device 130 can be configured and operate in any manner disclosed herein including the examples shown in FIGS. 5A-6 .
- FIGS. 12A-12C and FIGS. 14A-14C Examples of operation of the apparatus 100 ′ are illustrated in FIGS. 12A-12C and FIGS. 14A-14C .
- a micro-object 224 initially disposed on an outer surface 124 a of a first DEP device 120 a can be moved to the outer surface 124 b of a nearby DEP device 120 b (e.g., a second DEP device) by activating the nearby DEP device 120 b generally as described above (e.g., creating an electrically conductive path like path 232 in FIG. 2B through the switchable element 212 b of the nearby DEP configuration 122 b ) without also activating the first DEP device 120 a .
- a nearby DEP device 120 b e.g., a second DEP device
- the foregoing can create a net DEP force on the micro-object 224 sufficient to move the micro-object 224 from the outer surface 124 a of the first DEP device 120 a to the outer surface 124 b of the nearby DEP device 120 b ).
- the micro-object 224 can be moved from the outer surface 124 a across an intervening electrowetting surface 128 b of an adjacent EW device 130 b .
- the micro-object 224 can be moved while inside a droplet 524 of the first medium 222 , which can be disposed in the second medium 522 .
- a droplet 524 can be moved on the structural boundary 106 .
- a droplet 524 initially disposed in a first location (e.g., on outer surfaces 124 a , 124 b of DEP devices 120 a , 120 b and an electrowetting surface 128 b of a first EW device 128 b in the example shown in FIG. 12A ), can be moved to a second location by activating a nearby EW device 130 c generally as described above (e.g., creating an electrically conductive path like path 532 in FIG.
- liquid pressure P e.g., applied through an inlet 114 or by a pressure device (not shown) in the chamber 112
- the micro-object 224 can move with the droplet 524 without activating any of the DEP devices 122 . Droplets like droplet 524 , however, can be moved whether or not the droplet 524 contains one or more micro-objects like micro-object 224 .
- a micro-object 224 and a droplet 524 can be performed simultaneously in the apparatus 100 ′ of FIGS. 11 and 12 A- 12 C.
- a micro-object 224 can be moved in one droplet 524 as illustrated in FIG. 12A while another droplet (not shown in FIGS. 12A-12C but can be like droplet 524 ) can be moved generally in the same way that the droplet 524 is moved in FIGS. 12A-12C .
- FIG. 13 shows an example of a process 1300 by which the apparatus 100 ′ of FIG. 11 can be operated generally in accordance with the examples shown in FIGS. 12A-12C .
- the process 1300 can move a micro-object from one DEP device to Another by Selectively activating and deactivating as needed one or more DEP devices, which can be performed generally as discussed above (e.g., as illustrated in FIG. 12A ).
- the process 1300 can move a droplet from a first location to a second location, which can also be performed generally as discussed above (e.g., as shown in FIGS. 12A-12C ).
- the process 1300 can be performed in accordance with the examples illustrated in FIGS. 12A-12C including any variation or additional steps or processing discussed above with respect to FIGS. 12A-12C .
- FIGS. 14A-14C illustrate another example of an operation of the microfluidic device 100 ′ of FIG. 11 .
- FIGS. 14A-14C show a top view of the apparatus 100 ′ with its cover 110 removed.
- Biasing devices 206 , 506 are not shown but can be connected to the apparatus 100 ′ generally as shown in FIGS. 12A-12C .
- a droplet 524 of the first medium 222 is disposed in the second medium 522 in the chamber 112 , and micro-objects 224 can be disposed inside the droplet 524 .
- one or more of the micro-objects 224 in the droplet 524 can be moved into or out of a selected sub-region 1402 of the droplet 524 until there is a selected group 1404 of the micro-objects in the sub-region 1402 of the droplet 524 .
- FIG. 14B one or more of the micro-objects 224 in the droplet 524 can be moved into or out of a selected sub-region 1402 of the droplet 524 until there is a selected group 1404 of the micro-objects in the sub-region 1402 of the droplet 524 .
- the sub-region 1402 of the droplet 524 can be moved away and thus separate from the droplet 524 forming a new droplet 1406 that contains the selected group 1404 of micro-objects 224 .
- the micro-objects 224 can be moved (as shown in FIG. 14B ) generally as discussed above (e.g., from the outer surface 124 of one DEP device 120 (not shown in FIGS. 14A-14C ) to the outer surface 124 of a nearby DEP device 120 (not shown in FIGS.
- the sub-region 1404 can be moved and thus pulled away and separated from the droplet 524 to form a new droplet 1406 generally as discussed above (e.g., by selectively changing a wetting property of ones of the electrowetting surfaces 128 of adjacent ones of the EW devices 130 (not shown in FIGS. 14A-14C ).
- the sub-region 1402 of the droplet 524 can initially be disposed in a first location 1418 in the chamber 112 as shown in FIG. 14B .
- the location 1418 can include first outer surfaces 124 of a first set of the DEP devices 122 and first electrowetting surfaces 128 of a first set of the EW devices 130 on which the sub-region 1402 is initially disposed as shown in FIG. 14B .
- the sub-region 1402 can be separated from the droplet 524 , forming a new droplet 1406 , by moving the sub-region 1402 of the droplet to a second location 1420 as shown in FIG. 14C .
- the second location 1420 can include second outer surfaces 124 of a second set of the DEP devices 122 and second electrowetting surfaces 128 of a second set of the EW devices 130 .
- the sub-region 1402 can be moved from the first location 1418 to the second location 1420 by, for example, sequentially activating one or more (one is shown but there can be more) of the EW devices 130 in a third location 1422 .
- the EW devices 130 in the third location 1422 can be an example of a third set of the EW devices 130 and their electrowetting surfaces 128 can be an example of third electrowetting surfaces.) This can be done, for example, without also activating EW devices 130 on whose electrowetting surfaces 128 all of the droplet 524 except for the sub-region 1402 is disposed. Generally as discussed above, this can move the sub-region 1402 of the droplet 524 over the third location 1422 .
- the EW devices 128 in the third location 1422 can be deactivated, and one or more of the EW devices 130 in the second location can be activated, which generally as discussed above, can further move the sub-region 1402 (now a new droplet 1406 ) to the second location 1420 shown in FIG. 14C .
- a new droplet 1406 can be created from an existing droplet 524 as illustrated in FIGS. 14A-14C regardless of whether there are any micro-objects 224 in the existing droplet 524 or the new droplet 1406 . Moreover, more than one new droplet (not shown but can be like new droplet 1406 ) can be created from the existing droplet 524 .
- FIG. 15 illustrates an example of a process 1500 by which the apparatus 100 ′ of FIG. 11 can be operated generally in accordance with the examples shown in FIGS. 14A-14C .
- the process 1500 can dispose a selected group of micro-objects in a sub-region of a droplet, which can be performed generally as discussed above (e.g., as illustrated in FIGS. 14A and 14B ).
- the process 1500 can move the sub-region of the droplet away from the droplet, separating the sub-region from the droplet and thereby forming a new droplet, which can also be performed generally as discussed above (e.g., as shown in FIG. 14C ).
- the process 1500 can be performed in accordance with any of the examples illustrated in FIGS. 14A-14C including any variation or additional steps or processing discussed above with respect to FIGS. 14A-14C .
Abstract
Description
- This application is related to the U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______ entitled “DEP Force Control And Electrowetting Control In Different Sections Of The Same Microfluidic Apparatus” (attorney docket no. BL21-US) filed Apr. 25, 2014, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
- Micro-objects, such as biological cells, can be processed in a microfluidic apparatus. For example, micro-objects suspended in a liquid in a microfluidic apparatus can be sorted, selected, and moved in the apparatus. The liquid can also be manipulated in the device. Embodiments of the present invention are directed to improvements in manipulating micro-objects and liquid in the same microfluidic apparatus.
- In some embodiments, a structure can comprise a dielectrophoresis (DEP) configuration comprising an outer surface and an electrowetting (EW) configuration comprising an electrowetting surface. The DEP configuration can be disposed adjacent to the EW configuration such that the outer surface of the DEP configuration is adjacent to the electrowetting surface.
- Some embodiments of the invention can be directed to a process of operating a microfluidic apparatus comprising a chamber, dielectrophoresis (DEP) devices, and electrowetting (EW) devices. The process can include moving a micro-object from a first outer surface of a first of the DEP devices to a second outer surface of a second of the DEP devices. This can be accomplished by activating the second DEP device and thereby creating a net DEP force on the micro-object in a direction of the second DEP device. The process can further include moving a droplet of a liquid medium from a first location to a second location in the chamber by activating a second of the EW devices and thereby changing a wetting property of a second electrowetting surface of the second EW device. In the first location, the droplet can be disposed in part on a first electrowetting surface of a first of the EW devices but not on the second electrowetting surface of the second EW device. In the second location, the droplet can be disposed in part on the second electrowetting surface of the second EW device but not on the first electrowetting surface of the first EW device.
- Some embodiments of the invention can be directed to such a process that includes disposing a droplet of a first liquid medium on first outer surfaces of a first set of the DEP devices and first electrowetting surfaces of a first set of the EW devices. The process can also include separating a first part of the droplet from a second part of the droplet by activating second electrowetting surfaces of a second set of the EW devices and thereby changing a wetting property of the second electrowetting surfaces.
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FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of an example of a microfluidic apparatus with a structure comprising dielectrophoresis (DEP) configurations and electrowetting (EW) configurations according to some embodiments of the invention. -
FIG. 2A is a partial, cross-sectional, side view of an example of a DEP device comprising one of the DEP configurations ofFIG. 1 according to some embodiments of the invention. -
FIG. 2B shows an embodiment of a switchable element of the DEP device ofFIG. 2A comprising a photoconductive material in which low impedance electrical paths can be created with a beam of light according to some embodiments of the invention. -
FIG. 3 is an example of an embodiment of a switchable element of the DEP device ofFIG. 2A comprising switches for temporarily creating low impedance electrical paths between a biasing electrode and an outer surface of the switchable element according to some embodiments of the invention. -
FIG. 4 shows an example in which the switches ofFIG. 3 are implemented as transistors according to some embodiments of the invention. -
FIG. 5A is a partial, cross-sectional, side view of an example of an EW device comprising one of the EW configurations ofFIG. 1 according to some embodiments of the invention. -
FIG. 5B shows an embodiment of a switchable element of the EW device ofFIG. 5A comprising a photoconductive material in which a low impedance electrical path can be created with a beam of light according to some embodiments of the invention. -
FIG. 6 is an example of an embodiment of the switchable element of the EW device ofFIG. 5A comprising switches for temporarily creating low impedance electrical paths between a biasing electrode and an outer surface of the switchable element according to some embodiments of the invention. -
FIG. 7 illustrates an example in which a structure of the microfluidic apparatus ofFIG. 1 comprises DEP configurations and EW configurations integrated into a single, monolithic switchable element according to some embodiments of the invention. -
FIG. 8 shows an example in which the structure of the microfluidic apparatus ofFIG. 1 comprises structurally distinct DEP configurations and structurally distinct EW configurations according to some embodiments of the invention. -
FIG. 9 is an example in which a structure of the microfluidic apparatus ofFIG. 1 comprises a support structure, where DEP configurations are integrated into sections of the support structure and stand alone distinct EW configurations are disposed in cavities in the support structure according to some embodiments of the invention. -
FIG. 10 shows an example in which a structure of the microfluidic apparatus ofFIG. 1 comprises DEP configurations in which switches are embedded into a switchable element and EW configurations that comprise photoconductive material in embedded isolation barriers according to some embodiments of the invention. -
FIG. 11 illustrates an embodiment of the microfluidic apparatus ofFIG. 1 comprising DEP devices and EW devices disposed in alternating patterns according to some embodiments of the invention. -
FIGS. 12A-12C show partial, cross-sectional, side views of the enclosure ofFIG. 11 and illustrate an example of operation of the microfluidic apparatus ofFIG. 11 according to some embodiments of the invention. -
FIG. 13 is an example of a process for operating the apparatus ofFIG. 11 in accordance with the operations illustrated inFIGS. 12A-12C according to some embodiments of the invention. -
FIGS. 14A-14C show top views of the enclosure ofFIG. 11 with the cover removed and illustrate another example of operation of the microfluidic apparatus ofFIG. 11 according to some embodiments of the invention. -
FIG. 15 is an example of a process for operating the apparatus ofFIG. 11 in accordance with the operations illustrated inFIGS. 14A-14C according to some embodiments of the invention. - This specification describes exemplary embodiments and applications of the invention. The invention, however, is not limited to these exemplary embodiments and applications or to the manner in which the exemplary embodiments and applications operate or are described herein. Moreover, the figures may show simplified or partial views, and the dimensions of elements in the figures may be exaggerated or otherwise not in proportion. In addition, as the terms “on,” “attached to,” or “coupled to” are used herein, one element (e.g., a material, a layer, a substrate, etc.) can be “on,” “attached to,” or “coupled to” another element regardless of whether the one element is directly on, attached to, or coupled to the other element or there are one or more intervening elements between the one element and the other element. Also, directions (e.g., above, below, top, bottom, side, up, down, under, over, upper, lower, horizontal, vertical, “x,” “y,” “z,” etc.), if provided, are relative and provided solely by way of example and for ease of illustration and discussion and not by way of limitation. In addition, where reference is made to a list of elements (e.g., elements a, b, c), such reference is intended to include any one of the listed elements by itself, any combination of less than all of the listed elements, and/or a combination of all of the listed elements. The same reference numbers are used throughout the drawings and specification to refer to the same element.
- As used herein, “substantially” means sufficient to work for the intended purpose. The term “substantially” thus allows for minor, insignificant variations from an absolute or perfect state, dimension, measurement, result, or the like such as would be expected by a person of ordinary skill in the field but that do not appreciably affect overall performance. When used with respect to numerical values or parameters or characteristics that can be expressed as numerical values, “substantially” means within ten percent. The term “ones” means more than one.
- As used herein, the term “micro-object” can encompass one or more of the following: inanimate micro-objects such as micro-particles, micro-beads, micro-wires, and the like; biological micro-objects such as cells (e.g., proteins, embryos, plasmids, oocytes, sperms, hydridomas, and the like); and/or a combination of inanimate micro-objects and biological micro-objects (e.g., micro-beads attached to cells).
- The phrase “relatively high electrical conductivity” is used herein synonymously with the phrase “relatively low electrical impedance,” and the foregoing phrases are interchangeable. Similarly, the phrase “relatively low electrical conductivity” is used synonymously with the phrase “relatively high electrical impedance,” and the foregoing phrases are interchangeable.
- A “fluidic circuit” means one or more fluidic structures (e.g., chambers, channels, pens, reservoirs, or the like), which can be interconnected. A “fluidic circuit frame” means one or more walls that define all or part of a fluidic circuit. A “droplet” of liquid medium includes a single droplet or a plurality of droplets that together form a single volume of the liquid medium.
- Some embodiments of the invention include a structure comprising a structural boundary (e.g., a floor, ceiling, or side) of a chamber or other fluidic structure in a microfluidic apparatus. The structure can comprise one or more dielectrophoresis (DEP) configurations each having an outer surface and one or more electrowetting (EW) configurations each having an electrowetting surface. The boundary can comprise the outer surfaces of the DEP configurations and the electrowetting surfaces of the EW configurations. The DEP configurations can facilitate generating net DEP forces with respect to the outer surfaces of the DEP configurations to move micro-objects on the outer surfaces, and the EW configurations can facilitate changing a wetting property of the electrowetting surfaces to move droplets of liquid medium. Such a structure can be part of a microfluidic apparatus, and can thus provide in one microfluidic apparatus the ability both to manipulate micro-objects on the outer surfaces of the DEP configurations and to manipulate droplets of medium on the electrowetting surfaces of the EW configurations.
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FIG. 1 illustrates an example of amicrofluidic apparatus 100 that can include astructure 104 that comprises bothDEP configurations 122 andEW configurations 126. Also shown are examples ofcontrol equipment 132 for controlling operation of theapparatus 100. Although theapparatus 100 can be physically structured in many different ways, in the example shown inFIG. 1 , theapparatus 100 is depicted as including anenclosure 102 that comprises a structure 104 (e.g., a base), afluidic circuit frame 108, and acover 110, which define afluidic chamber 112 in which one or more liquid media can be disposed. - As noted, the
structure 104 can comprise one or more DEP configured sections 122 (hereinafter “DEP configurations”) and one or more EW configured sections 126 (hereinafter “EW configurations”). EachDEP configuration 122 can comprise anouter surface 124 and can be configured to temporarily create a net DEP force on a micro-object (not shown inFIG. 1 ) in a liquid medium (not shown inFIG. 1 ) on theouter surface 124. In some embodiments, theouter surface 124 can be hydrophilic. EachEW configuration 126 can comprise anelectrowetting surface 128 and can be configured to temporarily change a wetting property of theelectrowetting surface 128 or a region of theelectrowetting surface 128. For example, theelectrowetting surface 128 can be hydrophobic but theEW configuration 126 can be configured to temporarily change theelectrowetting surface 128 or a region of theelectrowetting surface 128 to be less hydrophobic or even hydrophilic. - Although
FIG. 1 illustrates thestructure 104 as comprising one relativelylarge DEP configuration 122 withmultiple EW configurations 126 disposed in theDEP configuration 122, the foregoing is but an example. As another example, thestructure 104 can comprise one relatively large EW configuration 126 (e.g., in place of theDEP configuration 122 inFIG. 1 ) and multiple DEP configurations 122 (e.g., in place of theEW configurations 126 inFIG. 1 ). As yet another example, thestructure 104 can comprisemultiple DEP configurations 122 andmultiple EW configurations 126. - Regardless, the
structure 104 can comprise a structural boundary 106 (e.g., a floor, ceiling, or side) of one or more fluidic portions of a fluidic circuit defined by thefluidic circuit frame 108. In the example shown inFIG. 1 thestructural boundary 106 can be a floor of thechamber 112 as shown. Regardless, thestructural boundary 106 can comprise theouter surfaces 124 of theDEP configurations 122 and the electrowetting surfaces 128 of theEW configurations 126. Theboundary 106 of thestructure 104 can thus be a composite surface of one or moreouter surfaces 124 of one ormore DEP configurations 122 and one or more electrowetting surfaces 128 of one ormore EW configurations 126. - The
outer surfaces 124 and the electrowetting surfaces 128 can be substantially parallel. In some embodiments, theouter surfaces 124 and the electrowetting surfaces 128 can also be in substantially the same plane (e.g., as illustrated inFIGS. 1 and 8 ), and thestructural boundary 106 of thestructure 104 can thus be substantially planar. In other embodiments, theouter surfaces 124 and the electrowetting surfaces 128 are not in the same plane but can nevertheless be substantially parallel (e.g., as in the example shown inFIG. 7 ). - Each DEP configuration 122 (and thus each outer surface 124) and each EW configuration 126 (and thus each electrowetting surface 128) can have any desired shape. Moreover, the DEP configurations 122 (and thus the outer surfaces 124) and the EW configurations 126 (and thus the electrowetting surfaces 128) can be disposed in any desired pattern.
FIG. 11 (which is discussed below) illustrates an example in which thestructure 104 comprisesmultiple DEP configurations 122 andmultiple EW configurations 126 disposed in alternating patterns. - As shown in
FIG. 1 , thefluidic circuit frame 108 can be disposed on the structure 104 (e.g., on theboundary 106 of the structure 104), and thecover 110 can be disposed over thefluidic circuit frame 108. With theboundary 106 of thestructure 104 as the bottom and the cover as the top 110, thefluidic circuit frame 108 can define a fluidic circuit comprising, for example, interconnected fluidic chambers, channels, pens, reservoirs, and the like. In the example illustrated inFIG. 1 , thefluidic circuit frame 108 defines achamber 112, and theboundary 106 of thestructure 104 can be, for example, a lower boundary of thechamber 112. Although thestructure 104 is shown inFIG. 1 as comprising the bottom of theapparatus 100 and thecover 110 is illustrated as the top, thestructure 104 can be the top and thecover 110 can be the bottom of theapparatus 100. As also shown, thechamber 112 can include one ormore inlets 114 and one or more similar outlets (not shown). - The
structure 104 can comprise, for example, a substrate or a plurality of interconnected substrates. For example, thestructure 104 can comprise a semiconductor substrate, a printed circuit board substrate, or the like. Thefluidic circuit frame 108 can comprise a flexible material (e.g. rubber, plastic, an elastomer, silicone, polydimethylsioxane (“PDMS”), or the like), which can be gas permeable. Thecover 110 can be an integral part of thefluidic circuit frame 108, or thecover 110 can be a structurally distinct element (as illustrated inFIG. 1 ). Thecover 110 can comprise the same or different materials than thefluidic circuit frame 108. Regardless, thecover 110 and/or thestructure 104 can be transparent to light. -
FIG. 1 also illustrates examples ofcontrol equipment 132 that can be utilized with themicrofluidic apparatus 100. Examples ofsuch control equipment 132 include amaster controller 134, aDEP module 142 for controlling theDEP devices 120 of which theDEP configurations 122 of thestructure 104 are a part, and anEW module 144 for controllingEW devices 130 of which theEW configurations 126 of thestructure 104 are a part. Thecontrol equipment 132 can also includeother modules 140 for controlling, monitoring, or performing other functions with respect to themicrofluidic apparatus 100. - The
master controller 134 can comprise acontrol module 136 and adigital memory 138. Thecontrol module 136 can comprise, for example, a digital processor configured to operate in accordance with machine executable instructions (e.g., software, firmware, microcode, or the like) stored in thememory 138. Alternatively or in addition, thecontrol module 136 can comprise hardwired digital circuitry and/or analog circuitry. TheDEP module 142, theEW module 144, and/or theother modules 140 can be similarly configured. Thus, functions, processes, acts, actions, or steps of a process discussed herein as being performed with respect to theapparatus 100 can be performed by one or more of themaster controller 134,DEP module 142,EW module 144, orother modules 140 configured as discussed above. - As also shown in
FIG. 1 , anelectrical biasing device 118 can be connected to theapparatus 100. Theelectrical biasing device 118 can, for example, comprise one or more voltage or current sources. - As can be seen in
FIG. 1 , eachDEP configuration 122 of thestructure 104 can be part of adifferent DEP device 120 built into theenclosure 102 for temporarily generating net DEP forces on micro-objects (not shown inFIG. 1 ) in liquid medium (not shown inFIG. 1 ) on theouter surface 124 of theDEP configuration 122. Depending on such characteristics as the frequency of a biasing device (e.g., 206 inFIG. 2 ) the dielectric properties of the liquid medium (e.g., 222 inFIG. 2 ), and/or the micro-objects (e.g., 224, 226), the DEP force can attract or repeal the nearby micro-objects. Similarly, eachEW configuration 126 of thestructure 104 can be part of adifferent EW device 130 built into theenclosure 102 for temporarily changing a wetting property of theelectrowetting surface 128 or a region of theelectrowetting surface 128 of theEW configuration 126. -
FIGS. 2A and 2B (which show partial, cross-sectional, side views of theenclosure 102 ofFIG. 1 ) illustrate an example of aDEP device 120. TheDEP device 120 inFIG. 1 and eachDEP device 120 in any figure (e.g.,FIG. 11 ) can be configured like theDEP device 120 shown inFIGS. 2A and 2B or any variation thereof (e.g., as illustrated inFIG. 3 or 4). - As shown, a
DEP device 120 can comprise a biasingelectrode 202, aswitchable element 212, and another biasing electrode 204 (which can be an example of a first electrode or a second electrode). The biasingelectrode 202 can be part of thecover 102, and theswitchable element 212 and theother biasing electrode 204 can be part of thestructure 104. Alternatively, the biasingelectrode 202 can also be part of thestructure 104. Thechamber 112 can be between the biasingelectrode 202 and theswitchable element 212, which can be located between thechamber 112 and theother biasing electrode 204. Thechamber 112 is illustrated inFIG. 2A containing a firstliquid medium 222 in which micro-objects 224, 226 (two are shown but there can be more) are disposed. As shown, theouter surface 124 can be an outer surface of theswitchable element 212. Alternatively, a layer of material (not shown) can be disposed on the surface of theswitchable element 212, and theouter surface 124 of that layer of material can comprise theouter surface 124. As noted, theouter surface 124 can be hydrophilic. Regardless of whether theouter surface 124 is an outer surface of the switching element itself 212 or the outer surface of a layer of material (e.g., a coating) (not shown) disposed on theswitching element 212, the switchingelement 212 can be said to be disposed between theouter surface 124 and theelectrode 204. - A first power source 206 (which can be part of the
biasing device 118 ofFIG. 1 ) can be connected to theelectrodes first power source 206 can be, for example, an alternating current (AC) voltage or current source. Thefirst power source 206 can create a generally uniform electric field between theelectrodes chamber 112, which can result in negligible DEP forces on each micro-object 224, 226 in the medium 222 on theouter surface 124 of theDEP configuration 122. - The impedance of the
switchable element 212 can be greater than the impedance of the medium 222 in thechamber 112 so that the voltage drop due to thefirst power source 206 from the biasingelectrode 202 to theother biasing electrode 204 is greater across theswitchable element 212 than the voltage drop across the medium 222. As shown inFIG. 2B , theswitchable element 212 can be configured, however, to temporarily create a low impedance path 232 (e.g., an electrically conductive path) from aregion 230 at or adjacent to theouter surface 124 of theswitchable element 212 to theother biasing electrode 204. The impedance of thelow impedance path 232 can be less than the impedance of the medium 222. The voltage drop due to thefirst power source 206 across the medium 222 from the biasingelectrode 202 to theregion 230 can now be greater than the voltage drop from theregion 230 through thelow impedance path 232 to theother biasing electrode 204 while the voltage drop across theswitchable element 212 otherwise generally remains greater than the voltage drop across the medium 222. This can alter the electric field in the medium 222 in the vicinity of theregion 230, which can create a net DEP force F on anearby micro-object 224. The force F, which as noted above can be configured to alternatively attract or repel thenearby micro-object 224, can be sufficient to move the micro-object 224 on theouter surface 124. By sequentially activating and deactivatingmultiple regions 230 on thesurface 124, the micro-object 224 can be moved along thesurface 124. As will be discussed in more detail with respect toFIG. 12A , the micro-object 224 can also be moved from theouter surface 124 of oneDEP configuration 122 to theouter surface 124 of anotherDEP configuration 122. - In the example of the
switchable element 212 shown inFIGS. 2A and 2B , theswitchable element 212 can comprise a photoconductive material that has a relatively high electrical impedance except when directly illuminated with a beam oflight 242. As shown, a narrow beam oflight 242 directed onto a relativelysmall region 230 on or adjacent to theouter surface 124 can significantly reduce the impedance of the illuminated portion of theswitchable element 212 thereby creating thelow impedance path 232. In such an embodiment of theswitchable element 212, alow impedance path 232 can be created from anyregion 230 at or adjacent to any location on thesurface 124 of theswitchable element 212 to theother biasing electrode 204 by directing a beam oflight 242 at the desired location. The light 242 can be directed from the bottom as shown inFIG. 2B and/or from above (not shown) and thus through theelectrode 202 andfirst medium 222. -
FIG. 3 illustrates another example 300 of theDEP device 120. That is, theexample DEP device 300 ofFIG. 3 can replace any instance of theDEP device 120 in any of the figures. - As shown, rather than comprising a photoconductive material, the
switchable element 212 of theDEP device 120 ofFIG. 3 comprises one or more (six are shown but there can be fewer or more) switches 302 that can be temporarily activated to electrically connect a fixedregion 330 on or adjacent to thesurface 124 of theswitching element 212 to the biasingelectrode 204. Activating aswitch 302 can thus create a low impedance path (likepath 232 inFIG. 2B ) from a fixedregion 330 on or adjacent to thesurface 124 of theswitchable element 212 to theother biasing electrode 204. Otherwise, theDEP device 120 can be like theDEP device 120 ofFIG. 2B and like numbered elements can be the same. - In
FIG. 3 ,multiple switches 302 are shown connecting multiple relativelysmall regions 330 of thesurface 124 to theelectrode 204. In such an embodiment, a low impedance electrical path likepath 232 inFIG. 2B can be temporarily created from any of theregions 330 to theelectrode 204 by activating thecorresponding switch 302. In such an embodiment, net DEP forces F (seeFIG. 2B ) can be selectively created with respect to theindividual regions 330. Alternatively, there can be oneswitch 302 connecting thesurface 124 to theelectrode 204. In such an embodiment, thesurface 124 is oneregion 330, and activating theswitch 302 can temporarily create a net DEP force with respect to essentially theentire surface 124. - Each
switch 302 can include acontrol 304 for activating (e.g., closing) and deactivating (e.g., opening) theswitch 302. Theswitches 302 can be controlled in any manner. For example, theswitches 302 can be controlled by the presence or absence of a beam of light on thecontrol 304. As another example, theswitches 302 can be toggled by directing a beam of light onto thecontrol 304. As yet another example, theswitches 302 can be electronically controlled rather than light controlled. Theswitches 302 can thus alternatively be controlled by providing control signals to thecontrols 304. -
FIG. 4 illustrates an example configuration of theswitches 302 ofFIG. 3 . In the example illustrated inFIG. 4 , theswitchable element 212 can comprise a semiconductor material, and eachswitch 302 can be atransistor 410 integrated into the semiconductor material of theswitching element 212. For example, as shown, eachtransistor 410 can comprise afirst region 402 at theouter surface 124, asecond region 406 in contact with the biasingelectrode 204, and acontrol region 404. Thetransistor 410 can be configured so that thefirst region 402 is electrically connected to thesecond region 406 to create a low impedance path (like thepath 232 inFIG. 2B ) from a fixedregion 330 of thesurface 124 to the biasingelectrode 204 only when thecontrol region 404 is activated. - In some embodiments, each
transistor 410 can be activated and deactivated by beams of light. For example, eachtransistor 410 can be a phototransistor whosecontrol region 404 is activated or deactivated by the presence or absence of a beam of light. Alternatively, thecontrol region 404 of each transistor can be hardwired and thus activated and deactivated electronically. - The
transistors 410 can be any type of transistor including bipolar transistors (BJTO) or field effect (FET) transistors. The body of theswitching element 212 and thus thesecond region 406 of eachtransistor 410 can be doped with a first type of dopant (e.g., an n or p type dopant), and thefirst region 402 can also be doped with the first type of dopant. Thecontrol region 404, however, can be doped with a second type of dopant (e.g., the other of a p or an n type dopant). Thefirst region 402 of eachtransistor 410 can be configured to be a source or a sink of holes, and the body of theswitching element 212 and thus thesecond region 406 of eachtransistor 410 can be configured to be the other of a sink or source for holes. Thus, for example, if thetransistors 410 are bipolar transistors, thefirst regions 402 can be emitters or collectors, thesecond regions 406 can be the other of collectors or emitters, and thecontrol regions 404 can be bases of thetransistors 410. As another example, if thetransistors 410 are FET type transistors, thefirst regions 402 can be sources or drains, thesecond regions 406 can be the other of drains or sources, and thecontrol regions 404 can be gates of thetransistors 410. - As also shown in
FIG. 4 ,isolation barriers 408 can be disposed in theswitching element 212 between thetransistors 410. Theisolation barriers 408 can comprise, for example, trenches in theswitching element 212, and the trenches can be filled with a switchable element. - The
DEP devices FIGS. 2A-4 are but examples of possible configurations of theDEP devices 120 in theapparatus 100. Generally speaking, theDEP devices 120 can be optoelectronic tweezers (OET) devices examples of which are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,612,355 or U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/051,004. Other examples of theDEP devices 120 include electronically controlled electrodes. -
FIGS. 5A and 5B (which show partial, cross-sectional, side views of theenclosure 102 ofFIG. 1 ) illustrate an example of anEW device 130. EachEW device 130 inFIG. 1 (or any other figure (e.g.,FIG. 11 )) can be configured like theEW device 130 shown inFIGS. 5A and 5B or any variation thereof (e.g., as illustrated inFIG. 6 ). - As shown, an
EW device 130 can comprise a biasingelectrode 502, adielectric material 514, aswitchable element 512, and another biasing electrode 504 (which can be an example of a first or a second electrode). The biasingelectrode 502 can be part of thecover 102, and thedielectric material 514, theswitchable element 512, and theother biasing electrode 504 can be part of thestructure 104. Alternatively, the biasingelectrode 502 can also be part of thestructure 104. Thechamber 112 can be between the biasingelectrode 502 and thedielectric material 514, and theswitchable element 512 can be disposed between thedielectric material 514 and the biasingelectrode 504. Thechamber 112 is illustrated inFIG. 5A containing adroplet 524 of a second liquid medium in a thirdliquid medium 522. The first liquid medium 222 (seeFIG. 2A ), the second liquid medium, and the thirdliquid medium 522 can be any of many types of media. For example, the second medium of thedroplet 524 can be a medium that is immiscible in thethird medium 522. Thus, for example, the second medium of thedroplet 524 can comprise an aqueous medium, and the third medium 522 can comprise an oil based medium. (Examples of suitable oils include gas permeable oils such as fluorinated oils. Fluorocarbon based oils are also examples of suitable oils.) As another example, thefirst medium 222 and the second medium of thedroplet 524 can be the same type of medium. - Although shown as an outer surface of the
dielectric material 514 itself, theelectrowetting surface 128 can instead be an outer surface of a material (e.g., a coating) (not shown) disposed on thedielectric material 514. Regardless, thedielectric material 514 can be said to be between theelectrowetting surface 128 and theswitching element 512. - As shown, a second power source 506 (which can be part of the
biasing device 118 ofFIG. 1 ) can be connected to theelectrodes second power source 506 can be, for example, an alternating current (AC) voltage or current source. Thesecond power source 506 can create a generally uniform electric field between theelectrodes droplet 524 on theelectrowetting surface 128 of theEW configuration 126 and thus a negligible change in a wetting property of theelectrowetting surface 128. - The impedance of the
switchable element 512 can be greater than the impedance of thedielectric material 514 so that the voltage drop due to thesecond power source 506 from the biasingelectrode 502 to theother biasing electrode 504 is greater across theswitchable element 512 than the voltage drop across thedielectric material 514. As shown inFIG. 5B , theswitchable element 512 can be configured, however, to temporarily create a low impedance path 532 (e.g., an electrically conductive path) from aregion 528 at an interface between theswitchable element 512 and thedielectric material 514 to theother biasing electrode 504. The impedance of thelow impedance path 532 can be less than the impedance of thedielectric material 514. The voltage drop due to thesecond power source 506 across thedielectric material 514 can now be greater than the voltage drop from theregion 528 through thelow impedance path 532 to theother biasing electrode 504 while the voltage drop across other portions of theswitchable element 512 remains greater than the voltage drop across thedielectric material 514. This can alter the electric field between theelectrodes region 528, which can change the wetting property of theelectrowetting surface 128 at aregion 530 of thesurface 128 adjacent to theregion 528. For example, the foregoing can increase the wetting property of theelectrowetting surface 128 at theregion 530, which can cause thedroplet 524 to move M to theregion 530. As noted, theelectrowetting surface 128 can be hydrophobic, but creating thelow impedance path 532 can temporarily make thesurface 128 at theregion 530 less hydrophobic or even hydrophilic. By sequentially activating and deactivatingregions 530 along theelectrowetting surface 128, thedroplet 524 can be moved along theelectrowetting surface 128. As will be discussed in more detail with respect toFIGS. 12A-12C , thedroplet 524 can also be moved from theelectrowetting surface 128 of oneEW device 130 to theelectrowetting surface 128 of anotherEW device 130. - The
switchable element 512 can be configured in any of the ways theswitchable element 212 ofFIGS. 2A and 2B can be configured. For example, theswitchable element 512 shown inFIGS. 5A and 5B can comprise a photoconductive material that has a relatively high electrical impedance except when illuminated with a direct beam oflight 542. As shown, a narrow beam oflight 542 directed onto theregion 528 can significantly reduced the impedance of the illuminated portion of theswitchable element 512 thereby creating thelow impedance path 532. In such an embodiment of theswitchable element 512, alow impedance path 532 can be created from anyregion 528 anywhere at the interface between theswitchable element 512 and thedielectric material 514 to thesecond electrode 504 by directing a beam oflight 542 onto theregion 528. The wetting property of acorresponding region 530 on theelectrowetting surface 128 can thus be changed anywhere on theelectrowetting surface 128. -
FIG. 6 illustrates another example 600 of theEW device 130. That is, theexample EW device 600 ofFIG. 6 can replace any instance of theEW device 130 in any of the figures. - As shown, rather than comprising a photoconductive material, the
switchable element 512 of theEW device 600 ofFIG. 6 can comprise one or more (six are shown but there can be fewer or more) switches 602 that can be temporarily activated to electrically connect a fixedregion 628 at the interface between theswitchable element 512 and thedielectric material 514 to the biasingelectrode 504. Activating aswitch 602 can thus create a low impedance path (likepath 532 inFIG. 5B ) from a fixedregion 528 at the interface between theswitchable element 512 and thedielectric material 514 to the biasingelectrode 504, which can change the wetting property at a correspondingfixed region 630 on theelectrowetting surface 128. Otherwise, theEW device 600 can be like theEW device 130 ofFIG. 5B and like numbered elements can be the same. Each of theswitches 602 in theswitchable element 512 can be configured, for example, as transistors generally like thetransistors 410 illustrated inFIG. 4 and discussed above. - In
FIG. 6 ,multiple switches 602 are shown connecting multiple relativelysmall regions 628 of the interface of theswitchable element 512 to the dielectric material 514 (corresponding to multiple relatively smallfixed regions 630 at or adjacent to the electrowetting surface 128) to theelectrode 504. In such an embodiment, a wetting property of any of theregions 630 on theelectrowetting surface 128 can be temporarily changed by activating acorresponding switch 602. Alternatively, there can be oneswitch 602 connecting the interface of theswitchable element 512 to thedielectric material 514 to theelectrode 504. In such an embodiment, theelectrowetting surface 128 is oneregion 630, and activating theswitch 602 can temporarily change a wetting property of essentially theentire electrowetting surface 128. - The
EW devices FIGS. 5A-6 are but examples of possible configurations of theEW devices 130 in theapparatus 100. Generally speaking, theEW devices 130 can be optoelectronic wetting (OEW) devices examples of which are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,958,132. Other examples of theEW devices 130 include electrowetting on dielectric (EWOD) devices, which can be electronically controlled. - The
structure 104 ofFIG. 1 can be physically configured to comprise one ormore DEP configurations 122 and one ormore EW configurations 126 in any of a variety of ways.FIGS. 7-9 illustrate examples. - In the example shown in
FIG. 7 ,multiple DEP configurations 122 andmultiple EW configurations 126 can be integrated into a singlemonolithic component 702. As shown, thestructure 104 can comprise amonolithic component 702, and theDEP configurations 122 andEW configurations 126 can comprise sections 704-710 of themonolithic component 702. Themonolithic component 702 can comprise a semiconductor material. - For example, as shown, a
first EW configuration 126 a can comprise adielectric material 514 disposed on one side of afirst section 704 of themonolithic component 702 and anelectrode 504 on the other side of thefirst section 704, which can be configured likeswitchable element 512 illustrated inFIGS. 5A-6 . For example, thefirst section 704 can comprise photoconductive material generally like theswitchable element 512 shown inFIG. 5B . As another example, thefirst section 704 can comprise one or more switches like theswitches 602 inFIG. 6 , which can be configured as transistors like thetransistors 410 ofFIG. 4 as discussed above. Asecond EW configuration 126 b can similarly comprise anotherdielectric material 514 disposed on one side of athird section 708 of themonolithic component 702 and anotherelectrode 504 on the other side of thethird section 708, which can be configured like theswitchable element 512 illustrated in any ofFIGS. 5A-6 . - A
first DEP configuration 122 a can comprise asecond section 706 of themonolithic component 702 and anelectrode 204 disposed adjacent to thesecond section 706, which can be configured like theswitchable element 212 illustrated inFIGS. 2A-4 . For example, thesecond section 706 can comprise photoconductive material generally like theswitchable element 212 shown inFIG. 2B . As another example, thesecond section 706 can comprise one or more switches like theswitches 302 inFIG. 3 , which can be configured as transistors like thetransistors 410 ofFIG. 4 . Asecond DEP configuration 122 b can similarly comprise afourth section 710 of themonolithic component 702 and anotherelectrode 204 disposed adjacent to thefourth section 710, which can be configured like theswitchable element 212 illustrated in any ofFIGS. 2A-4 . - In the example shown in
FIG. 8 , theDEP configurations 122 and theEW configurations 126 can comprise distinct structures. For example, as shown, afirst EW configuration 126 a can be a distinct structure that comprises adielectric material 514 disposed on one side of a first EWconfiguration switching element 804 and anelectrode 504 on the other side of theswitching element 804. The switchingelement 804 can comprise, for example, semiconductor material, a printed circuit board, or the like. The switchingelement 804 can be configured likeswitchable element 512 illustrated in any ofFIGS. 5A-6 . For example, the switchingelement 804 can comprise photoconductive material generally like theswitchable element 512 shown inFIG. 5B . As another example, the switchingelement 804 can comprise one or more switches like theswitches 602 inFIG. 6 , which can be configured as transistors like thetransistors 410 ofFIG. 4 as discussed above. Asecond EW configuration 126 b can also be a distinct structure that comprises anotherdielectric material 514 disposed on one side of a second EWconfiguration switching element 808 and anotherelectrode 504 on the other side of theswitching element 808. The switchingelement 808 can be the same as or similar to theswitching element 804 as discussed above. - A
first DEP configuration 122 a can be a distinct structure that comprises a first DEPconfiguration switching element 806 and anelectrode 204. The switchingelement 806 can comprise, for example, semiconductor material, a printed circuit board, or the like. The switchingelement 806 can be configured like theswitchable element 212 illustrated in any ofFIGS. 2A-4 . For example, the switchingelement 806 can comprise photoconductive material generally like the configuration of theswitchable element 212 shown inFIG. 2B . As another example, the switchingelement 806 can comprise one or more switches like theswitches 302 inFIG. 3 , which can be configured as transistors like thetransistors 410 ofFIG. 4 as discussed above. Asecond DEP configuration 122 b can also be a distinct structure that comprises a second DEPconfiguration switching element 810 and anotherelectrode 204. The switchingelement 810 can be like theswitching element 806 as discussed above. - As shown in
FIG. 8 , theEW configurations DEP configurations master structure 814. TheEW configurations DEP configurations master structure 814. For example, theEW configurations DEP configurations spacers 812 as illustrated. As another example, in some embodiments, there are nospacers 812, and adjacent toEW configurations DEP configurations - Some embodiments do not include a
master structure 814. For example, in some embodiments, there is not amaster structure 814, but theEW configurations DEP configurations spacers 812 illustrated inFIG. 8 can be an adhesive that adheres sides of adjacent toEW configurations DEP configurations - Although not shown, provisions can be provided for connecting power supplies (e.g., 206 and 506 in
FIGS. 2A and 5A ) to theelectrodes master structure 814 can comprise one or more electrically conductive connectors (not shown) to theelectrodes 204 and one or more electrically conductive connectors (not shown) to theelectrodes 504. Examples of such connectors include electrically conductive vias (not shown) through themaster structure 814. - Regardless, the
EW configurations DEP configurations EW configurations outer surfaces 124 of theDEP configurations outer surfaces 124 can thus form theboundary 106 of thestructure 104. Theboundary 106 can thus be a composite surface comprising multipleouter surfaces 124 ofmultiple DEP configurations 122 and multiple electrowetting surfaces 128 ofmultiple EW configurations 126. - In the example shown in
FIG. 9 , theDEP configurations 122 can comprise sections of amaster switching element 902, and theEW configurations 126 can comprise stand alone, distinct structures disposed incavities master switching element 902. - As shown, a
first EW configuration 126 a can be a stand alone, distinct structure that comprises adielectric material 514 disposed on one side of a first EWconfiguration switching element 904 and anelectrode 504 on the other side of theswitching element 904. The switchingelement 904 can comprise, for example, semiconductor material. The switchingelement 904 can be configured likeswitchable element 512 illustrated in any ofFIGS. 5A-6 . For example, the switchingelement 904 can comprise photoconductive material generally like theswitchable element 512 shown inFIG. 5B . As another example, the switchingelement 904 can comprise one or more switches like theswitches 602 inFIG. 6 , which can be configured as transistors like thetransistors 410 ofFIG. 4 as discussed above. Asecond EW configuration 126 b can also be a stand alone, distinct structure that comprises anotherdielectric material 514 disposed on one side of a second EWconfiguration switching element 908 and anotherelectrode 504 on the other side of theswitching element 908. The switchingelement 908 can comprise, for example, semiconductor material, which can be configured like theswitching element 904 as discussed above. TheEW configurations cavities master switching element 902. - A
first DEP configuration 122 a can comprise afirst section 906 of themaster switching element 902 and anelectrode 204 disposed adjacent to thefirst section 906, which can be configured like theswitchable element 212 illustrated in any ofFIGS. 2A-4 . For example, thefirst section 906 can comprise photoconductive material generally like theswitchable element 212 shown inFIG. 2B . As another example, thefirst section 906 can comprise one or more switches like theswitches 302 inFIG. 3 , which can be configured as transistors like thetransistors 410 ofFIG. 4 . Asecond DEP configuration 122 b can similarly comprise asecond section 910 of themaster switching element 902 and anotherelectrode 204 disposed adjacent to thesecond section 910, which can be configured like theswitchable element 212 illustrated inFIGS. 2A-4 . - As shown, the
sections master switching element 902 that correspond to theDEP configurations cavities EW configurations cavities EW configurations outer surfaces 124 of theDEP configurations EW configurations outer surfaces 124 and the electrowetting surfaces 128 can thus form theboundary 106 of thestructure 104. - In the example shown in
FIG. 9 , theDEP configurations 122 comprisesections master switching element 902, and theEW configurations 126 are stand alone, distinct structures disposed incavities master switching element 902. Alternatively, theEW configurations 126 can comprise sections (e.g., likesections 906, 910) of themaster switching element 902, and theDEP configurations 122 can be stand alone, distinct structures (e.g., like theEW configurations 126 shown inFIG. 9 ) disposed incavities master switching element 902. - In any of the embodiments illustrated in
FIGS. 7-9 , thefirst power source 206 can be connected to each of theelectrodes 204 and corresponding electrodes 202 (not shown inFIGS. 7-9 ) generally as shown inFIGS. 2A-3 . All of theelectrodes 204 inFIGS. 7 and 8 can, for example, be electrically connected to each other. Similarly, thesecond power source 406 can be connected to theelectrodes 504 and corresponding electrodes 502 (not shown inFIGS. 7 and 8 ) in the embodiments ofFIGS. 7 and 8 . The embodiment ofFIG. 9 can also facilitate connecting thesecond power source 506 to theelectrodes 504 of theEW configurations 126. For example, as shown inFIG. 9 , thesecond power source 506 can connect toelectrodes 914, which are connected (e.g., byelectrical connections 912 such as vias, electrically conductive adhesive, or the like) to theelectrodes 504 of theEW configurations 126. -
FIG. 10 illustrates an example of thestructure 104 comprising theswitchable element 212 configured somewhat as shown inFIG. 3 , and like numbered elements inFIGS. 3 and 10 can be the same. As shown, the switchingelement 212 can comprisemultiple DEP configurations 122 andmultiple EW configurations 126. Each of theDEP configurations 122 can comprise ahydrophilic layer 1002 comprising theouter surface 124, which can thus be hydrophilic; anelectrode 204; and aswitch 302 for selectively creating a low impedance path (e.g., likepath 232 inFIG. 2B ) through theswitchable element 212 to theelectrode 204 as discussed above. - As also shown, the switching
element 212 can also includeisolation barriers 408 between theDEP configurations 122, which can be part of theEW configurations 126. For example, eachEW configuration 126 can comprise adielectric material 514 comprising anelectrowetting surface 128, photoconductive material disposed in one of theisolation barriers 408, and anelectrode 504. As shown, an electrical connector 1004 (e.g., a via) can electrically connect the photoconductive material in anisolation barrier 408 to acorresponding electrode 504. Light directed onto the photoconductive material in one of theisolation barriers 408 can create a low impedance path (likepath 532 inFIG. 5B ) through the photoconductive material in the illuminatedbarrier 408 to theelectrode 504 and thereby change a wetting property of theelectrowetting surface 128 of theEW configuration 126 generally as discussed above with respect toFIG. 5B . - The
apparatus 100 ofFIG. 1 , including any variation discussed above or illustrated inFIGS. 2A-10 , is an example only.FIG. 11 illustrates another example configuration of theapparatus 100. - The
apparatus 100′ ofFIG. 11 can be generally similar to theapparatus 100 ofFIG. 1 , and like numbered elements can be the same. As shown, however, thestructure 104′ inFIG. 11 comprises multiple DEP devices 120 (each corresponding to one of the illustrated DEP configurations 122) and multiple EW devices 130 (each corresponding to one of the EW configurations 126). Some or all of theDEP devices 120 andEW devices 130 can be positioned such that theouter surfaces 124 of theDEP configurations 122 and the electrowetting surfaces 128 of theEW configurations 126 of thestructure 104′ are disposed in an alternating pattern. For example, all or one or more portions of the pattern ofDEP devices 120 andEW devices 130 can be such that rows and columns of the pattern comprise alternatingouter surfaces 124 and electrowetting surfaces 128 generally as shown inFIG. 11 . -
FIGS. 12A-12C show partial, cross-sectional, side views of theenclosure 102 of theapparatus 100′ ofFIG. 11 and also illustrates an example of operation of theapparatus 100′. - As shown in
FIG. 12A , eachDEP device 120 can comprise anelectrode 202 that can be part of thecover 110. InFIG. 12A , thecover 110 is illustrated as also comprising asupport structure 1202 for theelectrodes 202. EachDEP device 120 can also comprise aswitchable element 212 and anotherelectrode 204 generally as discussed above with respect toFIG. 2A . EachDEP device 120 can also include ahydrophilic material 1002 that comprises theouter surface 124, which can thus be hydrophilic. Otherwise, eachDEP device 120 can be configured and operate in any manner disclosed herein including the examples shown inFIGS. 2A-4 . Thefirst power source 206 can be connected to the biasingelectrodes electrodes 202 onsupport 1202 can be interconnected with each other, and the biasingelectrodes 204 on theswitching element 1204 can similarly be interconnected with each other. - Each
EW device 130 can comprise anelectrode 502 that can be part of thecover 110 as shown. EachEW device 130 can also comprise adielectric material 514,switchable element 512, and anotherelectrode 504 generally as discussed above with respect toFIG. 5A . Thesecond power source 506 can be connected to the biasingelectrodes electrodes 502 onsupport 1202 can be interconnected with each other, and the biasingelectrodes 504 on theswitching element 1204 can similarly be interconnected with each other. EachEW device 130 can be configured and operate in any manner disclosed herein including the examples shown inFIGS. 5A-6 . - Examples of operation of the
apparatus 100′ are illustrated inFIGS. 12A-12C andFIGS. 14A-14C . - As shown in
FIG. 12A , a micro-object 224 initially disposed on anouter surface 124 a of afirst DEP device 120 a can be moved to theouter surface 124 b of anearby DEP device 120 b (e.g., a second DEP device) by activating thenearby DEP device 120 b generally as described above (e.g., creating an electrically conductive path likepath 232 inFIG. 2B through theswitchable element 212 b of thenearby DEP configuration 122 b) without also activating thefirst DEP device 120 a. As discussed above, the foregoing can create a net DEP force on the micro-object 224 sufficient to move the micro-object 224 from theouter surface 124 a of thefirst DEP device 120 a to theouter surface 124 b of thenearby DEP device 120 b). As shown, the micro-object 224 can be moved from theouter surface 124 a across an interveningelectrowetting surface 128 b of anadjacent EW device 130 b. As also shown, the micro-object 224 can be moved while inside adroplet 524 of thefirst medium 222, which can be disposed in thesecond medium 522. - As also illustrated in
FIGS. 12A-12C , adroplet 524 can be moved on thestructural boundary 106. For example, as shown inFIGS. 12A-12C , adroplet 524, initially disposed in a first location (e.g., onouter surfaces DEP devices electrowetting surface 128 b of afirst EW device 128 b in the example shown inFIG. 12A ), can be moved to a second location by activating anearby EW device 130 c generally as described above (e.g., creating an electrically conductive path likepath 532 inFIG. 5B through theswitchable element 512 a of thenearby EW device 130 b) and thereby decreasing the hydrophobicity of theelectrowetting surface 128 c of thenearby EW device 130 c sufficiently to draw an edge of thedroplet 524 across theelectrowetting surface 128 c to theouter surface 124 c of aDEP device 120 c near theEW device 130 c as illustrated inFIG. 12B . The foregoing can be done without also activating theelectrowetting surface 128 b. Thedroplet 524 can thus be moved from a first position on thesurfaces FIG. 12A to a second position on thesurfaces FIG. 12C . As illustrated inFIG. 12B , liquid pressure P (e.g., applied through aninlet 114 or by a pressure device (not shown) in the chamber 112) can aide in moving M thedroplet 524. As also shown inFIGS. 12B and 12C , the micro-object 224 can move with thedroplet 524 without activating any of theDEP devices 122. Droplets likedroplet 524, however, can be moved whether or not thedroplet 524 contains one or more micro-objects likemicro-object 224. - Although not shown in
FIGS. 12A-12C , the foregoing operations of moving a micro-object 224 and adroplet 524 can be performed simultaneously in theapparatus 100′ of FIGS. 11 and 12A-12C. For example, a micro-objet 224 can be moved in onedroplet 524 as illustrated inFIG. 12A while another droplet (not shown inFIGS. 12A-12C but can be like droplet 524) can be moved generally in the same way that thedroplet 524 is moved inFIGS. 12A-12C . -
FIG. 13 shows an example of aprocess 1300 by which theapparatus 100′ ofFIG. 11 can be operated generally in accordance with the examples shown inFIGS. 12A-12C . As shown atstep 1302, theprocess 1300 can move a micro-object from one DEP device to Another by Selectively activating and deactivating as needed one or more DEP devices, which can be performed generally as discussed above (e.g., as illustrated inFIG. 12A ). Atstep 1304, theprocess 1300 can move a droplet from a first location to a second location, which can also be performed generally as discussed above (e.g., as shown inFIGS. 12A-12C ). Indeed, theprocess 1300 can be performed in accordance with the examples illustrated inFIGS. 12A-12C including any variation or additional steps or processing discussed above with respect toFIGS. 12A-12C . -
FIGS. 14A-14C illustrate another example of an operation of themicrofluidic device 100′ ofFIG. 11 .FIGS. 14A-14C show a top view of theapparatus 100′ with itscover 110 removed.Biasing devices apparatus 100′ generally as shown inFIGS. 12A-12C . - In the example shown in
FIG. 14A , adroplet 524 of thefirst medium 222 is disposed in thesecond medium 522 in thechamber 112, andmicro-objects 224 can be disposed inside thedroplet 524. As shown inFIG. 14B , one or more of the micro-objects 224 in thedroplet 524 can be moved into or out of a selectedsub-region 1402 of thedroplet 524 until there is a selectedgroup 1404 of the micro-objects in thesub-region 1402 of thedroplet 524. As shown inFIG. 14C , thesub-region 1402 of thedroplet 524 can be moved away and thus separate from thedroplet 524 forming anew droplet 1406 that contains the selectedgroup 1404 ofmicro-objects 224. The micro-objects 224 can be moved (as shown inFIG. 14B ) generally as discussed above (e.g., from theouter surface 124 of one DEP device 120 (not shown inFIGS. 14A-14C ) to theouter surface 124 of a nearby DEP device 120 (not shown inFIGS. 14A-14C ), and thesub-region 1404 can be moved and thus pulled away and separated from thedroplet 524 to form anew droplet 1406 generally as discussed above (e.g., by selectively changing a wetting property of ones of the electrowetting surfaces 128 of adjacent ones of the EW devices 130 (not shown inFIGS. 14A-14C ). - For example, the
sub-region 1402 of thedroplet 524 can initially be disposed in afirst location 1418 in thechamber 112 as shown inFIG. 14B . Thelocation 1418 can include firstouter surfaces 124 of a first set of theDEP devices 122 and first electrowetting surfaces 128 of a first set of theEW devices 130 on which thesub-region 1402 is initially disposed as shown inFIG. 14B . Generally in accordance with the discussion above of moving droplets, thesub-region 1402 can be separated from thedroplet 524, forming anew droplet 1406, by moving thesub-region 1402 of the droplet to asecond location 1420 as shown inFIG. 14C . Thesecond location 1420 can include secondouter surfaces 124 of a second set of theDEP devices 122 and second electrowetting surfaces 128 of a second set of theEW devices 130. Thesub-region 1402 can be moved from thefirst location 1418 to thesecond location 1420 by, for example, sequentially activating one or more (one is shown but there can be more) of theEW devices 130 in athird location 1422. (TheEW devices 130 in thethird location 1422 can be an example of a third set of theEW devices 130 and their electrowetting surfaces 128 can be an example of third electrowetting surfaces.) This can be done, for example, without also activatingEW devices 130 on whose electrowetting surfaces 128 all of thedroplet 524 except for thesub-region 1402 is disposed. Generally as discussed above, this can move thesub-region 1402 of thedroplet 524 over thethird location 1422. Thereafter, theEW devices 128 in thethird location 1422 can be deactivated, and one or more of theEW devices 130 in the second location can be activated, which generally as discussed above, can further move the sub-region 1402 (now a new droplet 1406) to thesecond location 1420 shown inFIG. 14C . - A
new droplet 1406 can be created from an existingdroplet 524 as illustrated inFIGS. 14A-14C regardless of whether there are any micro-objects 224 in the existingdroplet 524 or thenew droplet 1406. Moreover, more than one new droplet (not shown but can be like new droplet 1406) can be created from the existingdroplet 524. -
FIG. 15 illustrates an example of aprocess 1500 by which theapparatus 100′ ofFIG. 11 can be operated generally in accordance with the examples shown inFIGS. 14A-14C . As shown atstep 1502, theprocess 1500 can dispose a selected group of micro-objects in a sub-region of a droplet, which can be performed generally as discussed above (e.g., as illustrated inFIGS. 14A and 14B ). Atstep 1504, theprocess 1500 can move the sub-region of the droplet away from the droplet, separating the sub-region from the droplet and thereby forming a new droplet, which can also be performed generally as discussed above (e.g., as shown inFIG. 14C ). Indeed, theprocess 1500 can be performed in accordance with any of the examples illustrated inFIGS. 14A-14C including any variation or additional steps or processing discussed above with respect toFIGS. 14A-14C . - Although specific embodiments and applications of the invention have been described in this specification, these embodiments and applications are exemplary only, and many variations are possible.
Claims (38)
Priority Applications (11)
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US14/262,200 US20150306599A1 (en) | 2014-04-25 | 2014-04-25 | Providing DEP Manipulation Devices And Controllable Electrowetting Devices In The Same Microfluidic Apparatus |
SG11201608499XA SG11201608499XA (en) | 2014-04-25 | 2015-04-25 | Providing dep manipulation devices and controllable electrowetting devices in the same microfluidic apparatus |
EP15783086.0A EP3134739B1 (en) | 2014-04-25 | 2015-04-25 | Providing dep manipulation devices and controllable electrowetting devices in the same microfluidic apparatus |
JP2016561772A JP6802709B2 (en) | 2014-04-25 | 2015-04-25 | Providing DEP operating devices and controllable electrowetting devices in the same microfluidic device |
PCT/US2015/027680 WO2015164847A1 (en) | 2014-04-25 | 2015-04-25 | Providing dep manipulation devices and controllable electrowetting devices in the same microfluidic apparatus |
AU2015249294A AU2015249294B2 (en) | 2014-04-25 | 2015-04-25 | Providing DEP manipulation devices and controllable electrowetting devices in the same microfluidic apparatus |
KR1020167032929A KR102232094B1 (en) | 2014-04-25 | 2015-04-25 | Providing dep manipulation devices and controllable electrowetting devices in the same microfluidic apparatus |
CA2945177A CA2945177C (en) | 2014-04-25 | 2015-04-25 | Providing dep manipulation devices and controllable electrowetting devices in the same microfluidic apparatus |
CN201580022529.6A CN106461696B (en) | 2014-04-25 | 2015-04-25 | DEP controlling equipment and controllable electrowetting device are provided in same microfluidic device |
IL248365A IL248365B (en) | 2014-04-25 | 2016-10-13 | Providing dep manipulation devices and controllable electrowetting devices in the same microfluidic apparatus |
US15/637,159 US10245588B2 (en) | 2014-04-25 | 2017-06-29 | Providing DEP manipulation devices and controllable electrowetting devices in the same microfluidic apparatus |
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US14/262,200 US20150306599A1 (en) | 2014-04-25 | 2014-04-25 | Providing DEP Manipulation Devices And Controllable Electrowetting Devices In The Same Microfluidic Apparatus |
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