Droplet Actuator Configurations and Methods
First Claim
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1. A droplet actuator comprising a substrate comprising:
- (a) droplet operations electrodes arranged for conducting droplet operations on a surface of the substrate; and
(b) reference electrodes associated with the droplet operations electrodes and extending above the surface of the substrate.
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Abstract
Droplet actuators for conducting droplet operations, such as droplet transport and droplet dispensing, are provided. In one embodiment, the droplet actuator may include a substrate including, droplet operations electrodes arranged for conducting droplet operations on a surface of the substrate; and reference electrodes associated with the droplet operations electrodes and extending above the surface of the substrate. Other embodiments of droplet actuators and methods of loading and using such droplet actuators are also provided.
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Citations
54 Claims
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1. A droplet actuator comprising a substrate comprising:
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(a) droplet operations electrodes arranged for conducting droplet operations on a surface of the substrate; and (b) reference electrodes associated with the droplet operations electrodes and extending above the surface of the substrate.
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2. A droplet actuator comprising:
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(a) two substrates separated to form a gap; (b) droplet operations electrodes associated with at least one of the substrates and arranged for conducting droplet operations in the gap; and (c) reference electrodes associated with at least one of the substrates and extending into the gap.
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3. A droplet actuator comprising a substrate comprising droplet operations electrodes and reference electrodes configured for conducting droplet operations, wherein at least a subset of the reference electrodes is separated from a droplet operations surface by an insulator and/or dielectric material.
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4. A droplet actuator comprising:
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(a) two substrates separated to form a gap; (b) droplet operations electrodes associated with at least one of the substrates and arranged for conducting droplet operations in the gap; and (c) reference electrodes; (i) associated with at least one of the substrates; and (ii) separated from a droplet operations surface of the substrate of (c)(i) by an insulator and/or a dielectric material.
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5. A droplet actuator comprising a substrate comprising:
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(a) droplet operations electrodes configured for conducting one or more droplet operations; and (b) reference electrodes inset into and/or between and/or interdigitated with one or more droplet operations electrodes. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8)
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9-11. -11. (canceled)
- 12. A droplet actuator comprising an electrode that is rotationally but not reflectively symmetrical.
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16-24. -24. (canceled)
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29-38. -38. (canceled)
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39. A droplet actuator comprising:
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(a) a first substrate comprising droplet operations electrodes configured for conducting one or more droplet operations; and (b) a second substrate comprising; (i) a conductive layer at least partially contiguous with two or more of the droplet operations electrodes; and (ii) a perfluorophosphonate coating overlying at least a portion of the conductive layer; wherein the first substrate and the second substrate are separated to form a gap for conducting droplet operations mediated by the droplet operations electrodes. - View Dependent Claims (40)
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41. A droplet actuator comprising:
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(a) two surfaces separated to form a gap; (b) electrodes associated with one or more surfaces and arranged for conducting one or more droplet operations; (c) a filler fluid in the gap; (d) a reservoir comprising a droplet fluid in the reservoir; (e) a fluid path from the reservoir into the gap; (f) optionally, an filler fluid opening arranged for permitting fluid to exit the gap and/or exit one portion of the gap into another portion of the gap; and (g) a pressure source configured to force dislocation of filler fluid in the gap and/or through the filler fluid opening and thereby force droplet fluid from the reservoir through the fluid path into the gap. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
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47. A method of loading a droplet actuator, the method comprising:
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(a) providing; (i) a droplet actuator loaded with a filler fluid; (ii) a reservoir comprising a droplet fluid; and (iii) a fluid path extending from the reservoir into the droplet actuator; and (b) forcing filler fluid; (i) from one locus in the droplet actuator to another locus in the droplet actuator;
or(ii) out of the droplet actuator; thereby causing droplet fluid to flow through the fluid path and into the droplet actuator. - View Dependent Claims (48, 49, 50, 51, 52)
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53. A method of conducting a droplet operation on a droplet actuator, the method comprising:
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(a) using a negative pressure to flow a source fluid into a droplet actuator gap into proximity with a droplet operations electrode; and (b) using the droplet operations electrode along with other droplet operations electrodes to conduct the droplet operation. - View Dependent Claims (54)
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Specification