Surface Assisted Fluid Loading and Droplet Dispensing
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A droplet actuator comprising a first substrate and a second substrate, wherein:
- (a) the first substrate comprises one or more electrodes configured for conducting one or more droplet operations; and
(b) the second substrate is arranged in relation to the first substrate and spaced from the surface of the first substrate by a distance to define a space between the first substrate and second substrate, wherein the distance is sufficient to contain a droplet disposed in the space;
(c) the first or second substrate comprises a wettable surface defining a path from a position accessible to an exterior locus of the droplet actuator into an internal locus of the droplet actuator sufficient to;
(i) cause a fluid from the external locus to flow from the external locus to the internal locus, or(ii) permit fluid to be forced into the internal locus by a force sufficient to traverse the wettable surface without extending sufficiently beyond the internal locus;
(d) the internal locus is in sufficient proximity to one or more of the electrodes such that activation of the one or more electrodes results in a droplet operation.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention relates to surface assisted fluid loading and droplet dispensing on a droplet micro actuator. A droplet actuator is provided and includes one or more electrodes configured for conducting one or more droplet operations on a droplet operations surface of the substrate. The droplet actuator further includes a wettable surface defining a path from a fluid reservoir into a locus which is sufficiently near to one or more of the electrodes that activation of the one or more electrodes results in a droplet operation. Methods and systems are also provided.
-
Citations
46 Claims
-
1. A droplet actuator comprising a first substrate and a second substrate, wherein:
-
(a) the first substrate comprises one or more electrodes configured for conducting one or more droplet operations; and (b) the second substrate is arranged in relation to the first substrate and spaced from the surface of the first substrate by a distance to define a space between the first substrate and second substrate, wherein the distance is sufficient to contain a droplet disposed in the space; (c) the first or second substrate comprises a wettable surface defining a path from a position accessible to an exterior locus of the droplet actuator into an internal locus of the droplet actuator sufficient to; (i) cause a fluid from the external locus to flow from the external locus to the internal locus, or (ii) permit fluid to be forced into the internal locus by a force sufficient to traverse the wettable surface without extending sufficiently beyond the internal locus; (d) the internal locus is in sufficient proximity to one or more of the electrodes such that activation of the one or more electrodes results in a droplet operation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
-
-
12. A droplet actuator comprising a substrate comprising:
-
(a) one or more electrodes configured for conducting one or more droplet operations on a droplet operations surface of the substrate; and (b) a wettable surface defining a path from a fluid reservoir into a locus which is sufficiently near to one or more of the electrodes that activation of the one or more electrodes results in a droplet operation. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
-
-
16. A droplet actuator comprising a substrate comprising:
-
(a) one or more electrodes configured for conducting one or more droplet operations on a droplet operations surface of the substrate; and (b) a wettable surface defining a path from a first portion of the substrate into a locus which is sufficiently near to one or more of the electrodes that activation of the one or more electrodes results in a droplet operation. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
-
-
20. A droplet actuator comprising:
-
(a) a base substrate and a top plate separated to form a gap, wherein the base substrate comprises; (i) a hydrophobic surface facing the gap; and (ii) electrodes arranged to conduct droplet operations in the gap; (b) a reservoir in the gap or in fluid communication with the gap; (c) a wettable path; (i) provided on one or more droplet actuator surfaces; and (ii) arranged to conduct a fluid from the reservoir to an electrode for conducting one or more droplet operations. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
-
-
32. A droplet actuator comprising:
-
(a) a base substrate and a top plate separated to form a gap, wherein; (i) the base substrate comprises; (1) a hydrophobic surface facing the gap; and (2) electrodes arranged to conduct droplet operations in the gap; and (ii) an opening provides a fluid path from an exterior of the droplet actuator into the gap, wherein the opening is provided; (1) in the top plate; and
/or(2) in the base substrate; and
/or(3) between the top plate and base substrate; and (b) a wettable path; (i) provided on one or more droplet actuator surfaces; and (ii) arranged to conduct fluid from the opening to an electrode for conducting one or more droplet operations. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
-
-
40. A method of dispensing a droplet from a droplet source, the method comprising:
-
(a) flowing fluid from the droplet source; (i) along a wettable path provided on a surface of a droplet actuator; and (ii) into proximity with a first electrode; (b) activating the first electrode alone or in combination with one or more additional electrodes to extend fluid into the gap to provide a droplet in the gap. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
-
Specification