MICROFLUIDIC MANIPULATION AND SORTING OF PARTICLES USING TUNABLE STANDING SURFACE ACOUSTIC WAVE

• US 20130192958A1
• Filed: 01/31/2013
• Published: 08/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Penn State Research Foundation
• Original Assignee: Penn State Research Foundation
• Inventors: Huang, Tony Jun, Ding, Xiaoyun
• Granted Patent: US 9,608,547 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 198/617
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0636 Focussing flows, e.g. to laminate flows
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0652 Sorting or classification of particles or molecules
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0864 comprising only one inlet and multiple receiving wells, e.g. for separation, splitting
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0436 acoustic forces, e.g. surface acoustic waves [SAW]
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502707 characterised by the manufacture of the container or its components by shaping or joining plastic parts B29C59/00, B29C65/00; by laminating B32B37/00; manufacture of microstructural devices in general B81C
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502761 specially adapted for handling suspended solids or molecules independently from the bulk fluid flow, e.g. for trapping or sorting beads, for physically stretching molecules investigating characteristics of particles G01N15/00
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 5/3427 by changing or intensifying the optical properties prior to scanning, e.g. by inducing fluorescence under UV or x-radiation, subjecting the material to a chemical reaction
• CPC Class Codes: H02N 2/08 using travelling waves , i.e. Rayleigh surface waves

Abstract

An apparatus for manipulating particles uses tunable standing surface acoustic waves includes a channel defined on a substrate and a pair of variable frequency interdigital transducers. The channel is disposed asymmetrically between the transducers such that the zero order node location is outside of a working region in the channel.

Claims

1. A apparatus for manipulating particles using tunable standing surface acoustic waves, the apparatus comprising:

a substrate;

a channel defined on the substrate for receiving a fluid suspension including microscopic objects, the channel having a first side and an opposed second side with a working region being defined therebetween;

a first variable frequency interdigital transducer (IDT) disposed on the substrate and spaced from the first side of the channel, the first variable frequency IDT vibrating the substrate in response to a first input signal having a frequency and phase; and

a second variable frequency IDT disposed on the substrate and spaced from the second side of the channel, the second variable frequency IDT vibrating the substrate in response to a second input signal having a frequency and phase;

wherein a zero order node location is defined intermediate the first and second variable frequency IDTs, the channel being disposed between the IDTs and off center with respect to the first and second IDTs such that the zero order pressure node location is laterally outside the working region.

2. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

an electronic control circuit providing the first and second input signals so as to generate a standing surface acoustic wave in the working region, the frequency and/or phase of the input signals being variable so as to adjust a position of higher order pressure nodes in the working region and to adjust the position of particles.

3. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the channel further has a third side and an opposed fourth side, the apparatus further comprising:

a third variable frequency IDT disposed on the substrate and spaced from the third side of the channel, the third variable frequency IDT vibrating the substrate in response to a third input signal having a frequency and phase; and

a fourth variable frequency IDT disposed on the substrate and spaced from the fourth side of the channel, the fourth variable frequency IDT vibrating the substrate in response to a fourth input signal having a frequency and phase;

wherein a second zero order node location is defined intermediate the third and fourth variable frequency IDTs, the channel being disposed between the third and fourth IDTs and off center with respect to the third and fourth IDTs such that the second zero order pressure node location is outside the working region.

4. An apparatus in accordance with claim 3, wherein:

the third and fourth IDTs are being disposed generally orthogonal to the first and second IDTs.

5. An apparatus in accordance with claim 3, further comprising:

an electronic control circuit providing the input signals to the first and second IDTs so as to generate a first standing surface acoustic wave in the working region and providing the input signals to the third and fourth IDTs so as to generate a second standing surface acoustic wave in the working region, the frequency and/or phase of the input signals being variable so as to adjust a position of higher order pressure nodes in the working region and to adjust the position of particles.

6. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein:

the particles are organic particles, inorganic particles, biological cells, or microorganisms.

7. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein:

the channel is a flow channel having an input channel and a plurality of output channels;

particles being selectively directed into one of the plurality of output channels by varying the frequency and/or phase of the input signals so as to change a position of higher order pressure nodes in the working region.

8. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the substrate is a piezoelectric substrate.

9. An apparatus in accordance with claim 8, wherein:

the IDTs each having interdigital electrodes supported by the substrate, the interdigital electrodes having adjacent fingers that are spaced apart by a finger spacing that varies as a function of position on the substrate.

10. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein:

the pair of IDTs each having a tunable frequency range of at least 10 MHz or a tunable phase range of at least 10 degrees.

11. A method of manipulating particles using tunable standing surface acoustic waves, the method comprising:

providing an apparatus comprising;

a substrate;

a channel defined on the substrate for receiving a fluid suspension including microscopic objects, the channel having a first side and an opposed second side with a working region being defined therebetween;

a first variable frequency interdigital transducer (IDT) disposed on the substrate and spaced from the first side of the channel, the first variable frequency IDT vibrating the substrate in response to a first input signal having a frequency and phase; and

a second variable frequency IDT disposed on the substrate and spaced from the second side of the channel, the second variable frequency IDT vibrating the substrate in response to a second input signal having a frequency and phase;

wherein a zero order node location is defined intermediate the first and second variable frequency IDTs, the channel being disposed between the IDTs and off center with respect to the first and second IDTs such that the zero order pressure node location is laterally outside the working region;

introducing a fluid suspension including a particle to the channel;

generating a standing surface acoustic wave in the fluid suspension using the variable frequency interdigital transducers; and

manipulating the particle by adjusting the frequency and/or phase of the standing surface acoustic waves.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein:

the method is a method of particle sorting;

the channel is a flow channel; and

the frequency and/or phase of the standing surface acoustic waves being adjusted to direct a trajectory of the particle to a selected output channel of a plurality of output channels.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the particle is an organic particle, an inorganic particle, a cell or a microorganism.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein:

the apparatus further comprises;

the channel having a third side and an opposed fourth side;

a third variable frequency IDT disposed on the substrate and spaced from the third side of the channel, the third variable frequency IDT vibrating the substrate in response to a third input signal having a frequency and phase; and

a fourth variable frequency IDT disposed on the substrate and spaced from the fourth side of the channel, the fourth variable frequency IDT vibrating the substrate in response to a fourth input signal having a frequency and phase;

wherein a second zero order pressure node location is defined intermediate the third and fourth variable frequency IDTs, the channel being disposed between the third and fourth IDTs and off center with respect to the third and fourth IDTs such that the second zero order pressure node location is outside the working region;

generating a second standing surface acoustic waves in the fluid suspension using a second pair of variable frequency interdigital transducers,

the particle being further manipulated by adjusting the frequency and/or phase of the second standing surface acoustic waves.

15. A method of manipulating a particle using tunable standing surface acoustic waves, the method comprising:

introducing a fluid suspension including the particle to a channel;

generating a standing surface acoustic waves in the fluid suspension using a pair of variable frequency interdigital transducers; and

manipulating the particle by adjusting the frequency and/or phase of the standing surface acoustic waves.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein:

the method is a method of particle sorting;

the channel is a flow channel; and

the frequency and/or phase of the standing surface acoustic waves being adjusted to direct a trajectory of the particle to a selected output channel of a plurality of output channels.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the particle is an organic particle, an inorganic particle, a cell or a microorganism.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

generating a second standing surface acoustic waves in the fluid suspension using a second pair of variable frequency interdigital transducers,

the particle being further manipulated by adjusting the frequency and/or phase of the second standing surface acoustic waves.