Electrode addressing method

• US 20090192044A1
• Filed: 07/11/2005
• Published: 07/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Commissariat a L'Energie Atomique (French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission)
• Original Assignee: Commissariat a L'Energie Atomique (French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission)
• Inventors: Fouillet, Yves
• Granted Patent: US 8,603,413 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 506/7
• 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 2300/089 Virtual walls for guiding liquids
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 19/006 Micropumps F04B43/043 and F04B43/095 take precedence

Abstract

A device for addressing an electrode array of 2ⁿ lines of an electro-fluidic device, each line having N electrodes (n≦N). The device includes, on each line, n selection electrodes, all of the line selection electrodes being connected to 2n line selection conductors, 2ⁿ⁻¹ line selection electrodes of 2ⁿ⁻¹ lines being connected to each line selection conductor, and selection devices for selecting one or more line selection conductors.

Claims

1-37. -37. (canceled)

38. A device for addressing an electrode array of 2ⁿ lines of an electro-fluidic device, each line having N electrodes (n≦

N), comprising;

on each line, n selection electrodes, all of the line selection electrodes being connected to 2n line selection conductors, 2<sup>n−

1</sup> line selection electrodes of 2<sup>n−

1</sup> lines being connected to each line selection conductor; and

selection means, for selecting one or more line selection conductors.

39. A device according to claim 38, the electrodes for selecting the different lines being, for a given value of k, connected to first and second line selection conductors, the electrodes being connected by packets of 2^k−

1 alternatively to the first conductor and to the second conductor.

40. A device according to claim 38, the means for selecting line selection conductors comprising electrical selection relays.

41. A device according to claim 38, the means for selecting line selection conductors comprising 2n electrical selection relays, each relay being connected to a single line selection conductor.

42. A device according to claim 38, the means for selecting line selection conductors comprising n electrical selection relays, each relay being connected to two line selection conductors.

43. A device according to claim 42, each line selection relay being combined with means for generating, in addition to an input signal, a complementary signal.

44. A device according to claim 43, the means for generating, by electrowetting, in addition to the input signal, the complementary signal.

45. A device according to claim 38, the line selection electrodes being arranged successively along each line.

46. A device according to claim 38, the line selection electrodes being arranged non-successively along each line.

47. A device according to claim 38, the line selection electrodes of at least one line being in rectangular form, with the large side of each rectangle being arranged perpendicularly to the line.

48. A device according to claim 38, the line selection electrodes of at least one line being in square form.

49. A device according to claim 38, the at least one electrode line of the array including a cutting electrode.

50. A device for addressing an electrode array comprising a plurality of addressing devices according to claim 38 as basic devices arranged in series, each line of one of the basic devices being in series with a line of at least one second basic device.

51. A device according to claim 50, the line selection conductors of one of the basic devices being common to all of the basic devices arranged in series.

52. A device according to claim 38, further comprising digital line selection means.

53. A device according to claim 52, the digital line selection means being programmed to select the lines of the electrode array according to a binary code.

54. A device according to claim 52, the digital line selection means comprising selecting means selecting one or more lines of the array, and means for forming instructions for controlling line selection conductors according to the one or more lines selected.

55. A device according to claim 52, the digital line selection means comprising means for consecutively activating the line selection electrodes of a selected line.

56. A device according to claim 52, the digital line selection means comprising means for simultaneously activating the line selection electrodes of a selected line.

57. A device for forming liquid drops, comprising a device according to claim 38, and means for forming containers for liquids, each line of the array being connected to a container.

58. A device according to claim 57, comprising 2ⁿ means forming 2ⁿ containers for liquids, each line of the array being connected to a single container.

59. A device according to claim 57, each line being connected to a common line of electrodes, to mix the liquid drops formed on the different lines.

60. A device according to claim 58, comprising a plurality of common lines, arranged perpendicularly to one another or in a square.

61. A device according to claim 57, at least one of the containers comprising electrowetting electrodes for bringing a liquid drop, from the container, to the corresponding electrode line.

62. A device according to claim 61, one of the electrodes of the container being in a form of a comb or a star.

63. A device according to claim 62, the star or the comb having fingers of which the ends are square or pointed.

64. A device according to claim 38, at least one of the lines comprising electrodes with a saw tooth profile.

65. A device for addressing an electrode array of p lines, with 2ⁿ<

p<

2ⁿ⁺¹ lines, of an electro-fluidic device, comprising a device with 2ⁿ lines according to claim 38.

66. A method for moving at least one liquid volume, using a device according to claim 38, comprising:

moving a fluid volume along at least one line of the array by activation of the electrodes of the line.

67. A method according to claim 66, the line selection electrodes of the line being activated consecutively.

68. A method according to claim 66, the line selection electrodes of the line being activated successively.

69. A method for forming a liquid drop, comprising:

moving a liquid volume according to claim 66;

spreading the liquid volume on a plurality of electrodes of the line by simultaneous selection of the electrodes; and

cutting the spread volume by a cutting electrode.

70. A method for modifying dilution of a first liquid, containing a first solution with a first concentration, using a device according to claim 38, means for forming at least one first and one second container, respectively, for the liquid and for at least one second liquid or a buffer, each container being connected to a line of the electrode array, the method comprising:

forming a drop of the first liquid, from the first container;

forming a drop of the second liquid, from the second container;

mixing the two drops to form a drop, with a second concentration different from the first.

71. A method according to claim 70, modification of the dilution of a first liquid being a reduction of the dilution, the second concentration being lower than the first.

72. A method according to claim 70, the first liquid containing a reagent, and/or biological samples, and/or beads, and/or cells.

73. A method according to claim 70, the second liquid or the buffer comprising water or a biological buffer.

74. A method according to claim 70, the device including a common electrode line that connects the lines of the electro-fluidic device, and on which the drops are moved by electrowetting.