DROPLET CONTROL AND DETECTION DEVICE, OPERATING METHOD THEREOF, AND MICROFLUIDIC DEVICE

• US 20190092623A1
• Filed: 03/27/2018
• Published: 03/28/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BOE Technology Group Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: BOE Technology Group Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: DING, Xiaoliang, DONG, Xue, WANG, Haisheng, LIU, Yingming, CAO, Xueyou, GUO, Yuzhen, ZHANG, Ping, WANG, Pengpeng, HAN, Yanling, CHENG, Chihjen, DENG, Likai, LI, Yangbing
• Granted Patent: US 10,654,711 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/10 Integrating sample preparation and analysis in single entity, e.g. lab-on-a-chip concept
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/143 Quality control, feedback systems
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0645 Electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0663 Whole sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/165 Specific details about hydrophobic, oleophobic surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0427 Electrowetting
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502715 characterised by interfacing components, e.g. fluidic, electrical, optical or mechanical interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502784 specially adapted for droplet or plug flow, e.g. digital microfluidics automatic analysis using a stream of discrete samples in a tube system G01N35/08
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2201/058 Microfluidics not provided for in B81B2201/051 - B81B2201/054
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2203/0315 Cavities
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2203/04 Electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2203/055 Translation in a plane parallel to the substrate, i.e. enabling movement along any direction in the plane
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 7/02 containing distinct electrical or optical devices of particular relevance for their function, e.g. microelectro-mechanical systems [MEMS] B81B7/04 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/44721 by optical means
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/44791 Microapparatus sample containers with integrated microfluidic structures B01L3/5027
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/844 Encapsulations
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/60 OLEDs integrated with inorganic light-sensitive elements, e.g. with inorganic solar cells or inorganic photodiodes
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/873 Encapsulations

Abstract

A droplet control and detection device and an operating method thereof are provided. The droplet control and detection device includes: a light source; a first electrode; a second electrode; a droplet arranged on a light-exiting side of the light source, where the droplet is movable under the effect of an electric field formed between the first electrode and the second electrode; a photoelectric detection structure configured to detect light emitted by the light source and reflected by the droplet; and a processing circuit configured to obtain droplet information according to a detection result of the photoelectric detection structure and control an electrical signal applied on the first electrode and the second electrode according to the droplet information.

Claims

1. A droplet control and detection device, comprising:

a light source;

a first electrode;

a second electrode;

a droplet arranged on a light-exiting side of the light source, wherein the droplet is movable under the effect of an electric field formed between the first electrode and the second electrode;

a photoelectric detection structure, configured to detect light emitted by the light source and reflected by the droplet; and

a processing circuit, configured to obtain droplet information according to a detection result of the photoelectric detection structure and control an electrical signal applied on the first electrode and the second electrode according to the droplet information.

2. The droplet control and detection device according to claim 1, wherein the droplet information comprises at least one of a position parameter, an appearance parameter and a component parameter of the droplet.

3. The droplet control and detection device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a first hydrophobic layer and a second hydrophobic layer oppositely arranged and on the light-exiting side of the light source, wherein the first hydrophobic layer and the second hydrophobic layer are spaced by a predetermined distance, and the droplet is arranged between the first hydrophobic layer and the second hydrophobic layer.

4. The droplet control and detection device according to claim 3, further comprising:

a first insulation layer covering the first electrode, wherein the second electrode is arranged on the first insulation layer;

a second insulation layer covering the second electrode, wherein the first hydrophobic layer is arranged on the second insulation layer; and

a spacer arranged between the first hydrophobic layer and the second hydrophobic layer and configured to support the second hydrophobic layer in such a manner that the first hydrophobic layer and the second hydrophobic layer are spaced by the predetermined distance.

5. The droplet control and detection device according to claim 4, further comprising:

a protection layer covering the second hydrophobic layer.

6. The droplet control and detection device according to claim 1, wherein each of the first electrode and the second electrode comprises a plurality of strip-shaped electrodes, and an extension direction of the strip-shaped electrodes of the first electrode is perpendicular to an extension direction of the strip-shaped electrodes of the second electrode.

7. The droplet control and detection device according to claim 6, wherein a difference value between a width of the first electrode and a diameter of the droplet is not greater than a preset threshold, and a difference value between a width of the second electrode and the diameter of the droplet is not greater than the preset threshold.

8. The droplet control and detection device according to claim 4, wherein the droplet control and detection device is integrated in a display substrate, and at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode is a display electrode of the display substrate.

9. The droplet control and detection device according to claim 8, wherein the display substrate is an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display substrate, the light source is a light-emitting unit of the OLED display substrate, the first electrode is a patterned cathode of the OLED display substrate, the first insulation layer is a thin film encapsulation layer of the OLED display substrate, and the second electrode is an electrode formed on the thin film encapsulation layer.

10. The droplet control and detection device according to claim 9, wherein the photoelectric detection structure is a photodiode or a photosensitive thin film transistor integrated in the OLED display substrate.

11. The droplet control and detection device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a first signal line connected with the processing circuit and the first electrode;

a second signal line connected with the processing circuit and the second electrode; and

a detection signal line connected with the processing circuit and the photoelectric detection structure.

12. An operating method for the droplet control and detection device according to claim 1, comprising:

controlling the light source to emit light;

detecting, by the photoelectric detection structure, the light emitted by the light source and reflected by the droplet;

obtaining the droplet information according to the detection result; and

controlling the electrical signal applied on the first electrode and the second electrode according to the droplet information in such a manner that the droplet is driven to move by the electric field generated between the first electrode and the second electrode.

13. The operating method according to claim 12, wherein the droplet control and detection device further comprises:

a first hydrophobic layer and a second hydrophobic layer oppositely arranged and on the light-exiting side of the light source, wherein the first hydrophobic layer and the second hydrophobic layer are spaced by a predetermined distance, and the droplet is arranged between the first hydrophobic layer and the second hydrophobic layer;

a first insulation layer covering the first electrode, wherein the second electrode is arranged on the first insulation layer;

a second insulation layer covering the second electrode, wherein the first hydrophobic layer is arranged on the second insulation layer; and

a spacer arranged between the first hydrophobic layer and the second hydrophobic layer and configured to support the second hydrophobic layer in such a manner that the first hydrophobic layer and the second hydrophobic layer are spaced by the predetermined distance, the droplet control and detection device is integrated in a display substrate, the display substrate is an OLED display substrate, the light source is a light-emitting unit of the OLED display substrate, the first electrode is a patterned cathode of the OLED display substrate, the first insulation layer is a thin film encapsulation layer of the OLED display substrate, the second electrode is an electrode formed on the thin film encapsulation layer, the photoelectric detection structure is a photodiode or a photosensitive thin film transistor integrated in the OLED display substrate, and the operating method comprises;

turning on the light-emitting unit of the OLED display substrate;

detecting, by the photodiode or the photosensitive thin film transistor integrated in the OLED display substrate, the light emitted by the light source and reflected by the droplet; and

obtaining the droplet information according to the detection result, and controlling an electrical signal applied on the patterned cathode of the OLED display substrate and the second electrode according to the droplet information.

14. A microfluidic device, comprising:

a base substrate;

a pixel circuit and a photoelectric detection structure on the base substrate, wherein the pixel circuit comprises an anode;

a light-emitting unit on the pixel circuit and the photoelectric detection structure;

a cathode on the light-emitting unit, wherein the light-emitting unit is capable of emitting light under the effect of an electric field generated between the anode and the cathode;

an insulating film encapsulation layer on the cathode;

a second electrode on the film encapsulation layer;

a first hydrophobic layer on the second electrode;

a droplet and a spacer on the first hydrophobic layer;

a second hydrophobic layer on the droplet and the spacer, wherein the droplet is movable under an electric field generated between the cathode and the second electrode, and the spacer is configured to support the second hydrophobic layer in such a manner that the first hydrophobic layer and the second hydrophobic layer are spaced by a predetermined distance,

wherein the microfluidic device further comprises;

a processing circuit, configured to obtain droplet information according to a detection result of the photoelectric detection structure, control an electrical signal applied on the cathode and the second electrode according to the droplet information, and control the droplet to be moved by the electric field generated between the cathode and the second electrode.

15. The microfluidic device according to claim 14, wherein the droplet information comprises at least one of a position parameter, an appearance parameter and a component parameter of the droplet.

16. The microfluidic device according to claim 14, further comprising:

a protection layer covering the second hydrophobic layer.

17. The microfluidic device according to claim 14, wherein each of the cathode and the second electrode comprises a plurality of strip-shaped electrodes, and an extension direction of the strip-shaped electrodes of the cathode is perpendicular to an extension direction of the strip-shaped electrodes of the second electrode.

18. The microfluidic device according to claim 14, wherein a difference value between a width of the cathode and a diameter of the droplet is not greater than a preset threshold, and a difference value between a width of the second electrode and the diameter of the droplet is not greater than the preset threshold.

19. The microfluidic device according to claim 14, wherein the photoelectric detection structure is a photodiode or a photosensitive thin film transistor.