Micro-chemical mixing

• US 20070056853A1
• Filed: 12/27/2005
• Published: 03/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Aizenberg, Joanna, Kolodner, Paul, Krupenkin, Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 8,734,003 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 204/547
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 31/65 the materials to be mixed being directly submitted to a pulsating movement, e.g. by means of an oscillating piston or air column
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/3021 the components to be mixed being combined in a single independent droplet, e.g. these droplets being divided by a non-miscible fluid or consisting of independent droplets
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/3031 using electro-hydrodynamic [EHD] or electro-kinetic [EKI] phenomena to mix or move the fluids
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/0241 Drop counters; Drop formers making arrays for combinatorial libraries B01J19/0046; automation of dispensing for analysis G01N35/10
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/25 including sample preparation

Abstract

A method comprising, providing a droplet having a first chemical species and a second chemical species on a substrate, and applying a voltage across the droplet to physically repeatedly deform the droplet. In this embodiment, the applying causes the droplet to move with respect to an object located therein and at least partially mix the first chemical species and the second chemical species.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

providing a droplet having a first chemical species and a second chemical species on a substrate;

applying a voltage across the droplet to physically repeatedly deform the droplet, wherein the applying causes the droplet to move with respect to an object located therein and at least partially mix the first chemical species and the second chemical species.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the object has a first portion and a second portion non-symmetric to the first portion, the first and second portions defined by a plane located normal to a longitudinal axis and through a midpoint of a length of the object.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the object is an electrode.

4. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the object is a needle configured to provide the first chemical species.

5. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the object is shaped as a helix.

6. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein a shape of the object is selected from the group consisting of:

an inverted T;

an L;

a disk disposed along a shaft; and

a propeller.

7. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the object is positioned as to be asymmetric along an axis of motion of the droplet as the droplet is physically distorted.

8. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the substrate comprises a fluid-support-structure having at least one dimension of about 1 millimeter or less, and wherein applying a voltage causes the droplet to move between a top of the fluid-support-structure and a base of the fluid-support-structure.

9. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the droplet is a first droplet and further including providing a second droplet having a third chemical species and a fourth chemical species over the substrate, and applying a voltage across the second droplet to physically repeatedly deform the second droplet, wherein the applying causes the second droplet to move with respect to a second object located therein and at least partially mix the third chemical species and the fourth chemical species.

10. The method as recited in claim 9 wherein the first droplet and the second droplet form at least a portion of a lab on a chip.

11. A method, comprising:

providing a droplet over a substrate; and

injecting a chemical species within the droplet and applying a voltage across the droplet, wherein the injecting and applying use a same object.

12. The method as recited in claim 11 wherein the object is an electrode configurable as a needle.

13. The method as recited in claim 11 wherein the injecting occurs before, during or after the applying.

14. The method as recited in claim 11 wherein the substrate is a hydrophobic substrate.

15. The method as recited in claim 11 wherein the substrate comprises a fluid-support-structure having at least one dimension of about 1 millimeter or less, and wherein applying a voltage causes the droplet to move between a top of the fluid-support-structure and a base of the fluid-support-structure.

16. The method as recited in claim 11 wherein a fluid volume of the droplet is about 100 microliters or less.

17. A device, comprising:

a substrate having a droplet thereover;

an electrical source coupleable to the substrate, the electrical source configured to apply a voltage between the substrate and the droplet using an electrode, wherein the electrode has a first portion and a second portion non-symmetric to the first portion, the first and second portions defined by a plane located normal to a longitudinal axis and through a midpoint of a length of the electrode.

18. The device as recited in claim 17 wherein the electrode is shaped as a helix.

19. The device as recited in claim 17 wherein a shape of the electrode is selected from the group consisting of:

an inverted T;

an L;

a disk disposed along a shaft; and

a propeller.

20. The device as recited in claim 17 wherein the electrode is a needle, the needle configured to provide a chemical species within the droplet.