Particle handling apparatus for handling particles in fluid by acoustic radiation pressure

• US 6,216,538 B1
• Filed: 11/04/1996
• Issued: 04/17/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Yasuda, Kenji, Kawabata, Kenichi, Takeda, Kazuo, Kamahori, Masao, Sasaki, Kazuaki, Uchida, Kenko, Harada, Yoshinori, Umemura, Shin-ichiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams, Hezron
• Assistant Examiner(s): Politzer, Jay L.
• Application Number:
  US08/742,695
• Time in Patent Office: 1,625 Days
• Field of Search: 73/617.5, 73/645.3, 736/26, 735/705, 210/748, 367/153, 367/138
• US Class Current: 73/570.5
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 21/283 Settling tanks provided with vibrators
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 15/00 Acoustics not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 15/02 Synthesis of acoustic waves synthesis of speech G10L13/00

Abstract

An ultrasonic manipulation apparatus has a plurality of ultrasonic wave oscillators arranged in two dimensions to trap, fix or move particles to an optional position in the solution or perform cell fusion by using a gradient force obtained by superposing one over another the gradient force fields generated by ultrasonic waves produced by a plurality of ultrasonic wave oscillators. The ultrasonic wave oscillators, functioning independently of one another, can emit ultrasonic waves with optional intensities and phases, and by using an external force produced by superposed gradient force fields generated by ultrasonic waves, particles are handled easily.

Claims

1. An apparatus for handling particles comprising:

a chamber containing fluid in which said particles are distributed,

a plurality of piezoelectric devices attached to said chamber such that a sub-plurality of said piezoelectric devices are lined up in each of two different directions so as to form a two-dimensional array, and each of said piezoelectric devices being driven independently of each other and irradiating an ultrasound beam in a direction perpendicular to a surface of said two-dimensional array, and

an ultrasonic control section, which supplies sinusoidal electric voltages with at least one of different phases simultaneously and different intensities simultaneously to differing said piezoelectric devices, so as to generate a focused ultrasound beam from the plate arrangement of said piezoelectric devices.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

a plurality of two-dimensional arrays are attached to said chamber.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the shape of at least one said two-dimensional array is a flat plane.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

a plurality of said piezoelectric devices are attached to said chamber with a predetermined interval in both perpendicular directions.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

differing said sinusoidal electric voltages are supplied to said piezoelectric devices over time via a changing of phases and/or amplitudes of said sinusoidal electric voltages.

6. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the phase difference δ

between said sinusoidal electric voltages supplied to any two of said piezoelectric devices is controlled as follows;

7. An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein:

phases of said sinusoidal electric voltages are changed so as to transfer focus of said ultrasound beams to said predetermined point according to a progress of time.

8. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

means for monitoring a distribution of said particles in said chamber, which comprises a material permeable to light, by an optical system.

9. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

means for extracting a portion of fluid from said chamber.

10. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein:

said extracting means is a tube arranged to be penetrated to a position next to said two-dimensional array so that said portion of fluid around the surface of said plate is extracted.

11. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

means for introducing fluid into said chamber, wherein the introducing means is a tube arranged to be penetrated to a position adjoining said two-dimensional array so that said fluid is introduced into the place near the surface of said two-dimensional array.

12. An apparatus for concentrating particles in a fluid, comprising:

a chamber having a rectangular parallelepiped space for containing said fluid in which said particles are distributed,

a plurality of piezoelectric devices attached to said chamber such that a sub-plurality of said piezoelectric devices are lined up in each of two different directions so as to form a two-dimensional array, and each of said piezoelectric devices being driven independently of each other and irradiating an ultrasound beam, and

an ultrasonic control section which supplies sinusoidal electric voltages with different phases simultaneously to differing said piezoelectric devices.

13. An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said ultrasonic control section also supplies sinusoidal electric voltages with different intensities simultaneously to differing said piezoelectric devices.

14. An apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said plurality of piezoelectric devices are more specifically attached to said at least one outer face of said chamber parallel to fluid flow in the chamber.

15. An apparatus according to claim 14, wherein:

said fluid can flow continuously through said chamber, and

a width of said rectangular parallelepiped space in said chamber is λ

/2 or a multiple of λ

/2, and a thickness of a wall of the face of said chamber is λ

/2 or a multiple of λ

/2, where λ

is a wavelength of said ultrasound generated by said piezoelectric device.

16. An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein:

said fluid can flow continuously through said chamber, and

said plurality of piezoelectric devices are more specifically attached to said at least one outer face of said chamber parallel to a fluid flow in the chamber.

17. An apparatus according to claim 16, wherein:

said plurality of piezoelectric devices are more specifically attached to a set of opposite outer faces of the chamber and parallel to said fluid flow to introduce ultrasound energy into the chamber, and

a width of said rectangular parallelepiped space in said chamber is λ

/2 or a multiple of λ

/2, and a thickness of a wall of the face of said chamber is λ

/2 or a multiple of λ

/2, where λ

is a wavelength of said ultrasound generated by said piezoelectric devices.

18. An apparatus for concentrating particles in a fluid, comprising:

a chamber having a rectangular parallelepiped space for containing said fluid in which said particles are distributed,

a plurality of piezoelectric devices attached to said chamber such that a sub-plurality of said piezoelectric devices are lined up in each of two different directions so as to form a two-dimensional array, and each of said piezoelectric devices being driven independently of each other and irradiating an ultrasound beam, and

an ultrasonic control section which supplies sinusoidal electric voltages with different intensities simultaneously to differing said piezoelectric devices.

19. An apparatus according to claim 18, wherein:

said chamber more specifically contains a flowing fluid, in which said particles are distributed, and

said plurality of piezoelectric devices are more specifically attached to said at least one outer face of said chamber parallel to said fluid flow.

20. An apparatus according to claim 19, wherein:

said plurality of piezoelectric devices are more specifically attached to a set of opposite outer faces of said chamber, and

a width of said rectangular parallelepiped space in said chamber is λ

/2 or a multiple of λ

/2, and a thickness of a wall of the face of said chamber is λ

/2 or a multiple of λ

/2, where λ

is a wavelength of said ultrasound generated by said piezoelectric device.

21. An apparatus for concentrating particles in a fluid, comprising:

a chamber having a rectangular parallelepiped space for containing said fluid in which said particles are distributed,

a plurality of piezoelectric devices attached to said chamber such that a sub-plurality of said piezoelectric devices are lined up in each of two different directions so as to form a two-dimensional array, and each of said piezoelectric devices being driven independently of each other and irradiating an ultrasound beam, and

an ultrasonic control section, which supplies sinusoidal electric voltages with different phases simultaneously to differing said piezoelectric devices, and which changes said sinusoidal electric voltages according to time, so that the ultrasound irradiated from said piezoelectric devices can form a potential well in said chamber along predetermined two axes, and said particles can be moved by a change of a shape of said force potential well with a progress of time.

22. An apparatus according to claim 21, wherein:

said chamber more specifically contains a flowing liquid in which said particles are distributed, and

said plurality of piezoelectric devices are more specifically attached to said at least one outer face of said chamber parallel to said fluid flow.

23. An apparatus according to claim 21, wherein:

said plurality of piezoelectric devices are more specifically attached to the outer face of said chamber two dimensionally.

24. An apparatus for concentrating particles in a fluid, comprising;

a chamber having a rectangular parallelepiped space for containing said fluid in which said particles are distributed,

a plurality of piezoelectric devices which are attached to at least one outer face of said chamber in order to introduce ultrasound energy into said chamber, such that a sub-plurality of said piezoelectric devices are lined up in each of two different directions so as to form a two-dimensional array, each of said piezoelectric devices being driven independently of each other, and

an ultrasonic control section which supplies sinusoidal electric voltages with different amplitudes to each of said piezoelectric devices, said sinusoidal electric voltages being determined by Fourier analysis for superpositioning of ultrasound irradiated from each of said devices for forming a predetermined potential well, and being changed over time to change said shape of the potential well, so that said particles can be moved by a change of a shape of said potential well with a progress of time.

25. An apparatus according to claim 24, wherein:

said ultrasonic control section also supplies sinusoidal electric voltages with different phases to each of said piezoelectric devices, said sinusoidal electric voltages being determined by Fourier analysis for superpositioning of ultrasound irradiated from each of said devices for forming said predetermined potential well, and being changed over time to change said shape of the potential well so that the change of the shape of said potential well with a progress of the time can move said particles.

26. An apparatus according to claim 25, wherein:

said chamber more specifically contains a flowing fluid in which said particles are distributed, and

said plurality of piezoelectric devices are more specifically attached to at least one outer face of said chamber parallel to the fluid flow.

27. An apparatus according to claim 25, wherein:

said plurality of piezoelectric devices are specifically attached to the outer face of said chamber two dimensionally.

28. An apparatus according to claim 24, wherein:

said chamber more specifically contains a flowing fluid in which said particles are distributed, and

said plurality of piezoelectric devices are more specifically attached to at least one outer face of said chamber parallel to the fluid flow.

29. An apparatus according to claim 24, wherein:

said plurality of piezoelectric devices are more specifically attached to outer face of said chamber two dimensionally.

30. An apparatus for concentrating particles in a fluid, comprising:

a chamber having a rectangular parallelepiped space for containing said fluid and through which said fluid can flow, and at least one face of said chamber comprising a material which is permeable to light,

means for monitoring said particles in said chamber by an optical method,

a set of piezoelectric devices being attached to a set of opposite outer faces of said chamber, parallel to said fluid flow, wherein on each said opposite outer face, said piezoelectric devices being arranged in a two-dimensional array having a first sub-plurality of piezoelectric devices substantially aligned in a first direction and a second sub-plurality of piezoelectric devices substantially aligned in a second direction and each said piezoelectric device being driven independently, and wherein a width of said rectangular parallelepiped space in said chamber is λ

/2, and a thickness of the wall of the said chamber is λ

/2 or a multiple of λ

/2, where λ

is a wavelength of the ultrasound generated by said piezoelectric devices, and

an ultrasonic control section, which supplies sinusoidal electric voltages to said piezoelectric devices so that the ultrasound irradiated from said piezoelectric devices can form a standing wave in said chamber and a bottom of a potential well can be formed at a center of said chamber.

31. An apparatus according to claim 30, further comprising:

a means for extracting a portion of fluid from the center of said rectangular parallelepiped space of said chamber, or from the side of said rectangular parallelepiped space of said chamber.

32. An apparatus according to claim 31, further comprising:

means for controlling an extraction place in said chamber by moving a position of a tube in accordance with an observed particle distribution in said chamber using the data obtained from said means for monitoring.

33. An apparatus for handling particles comprising:

a chamber containing fluid in which said particles are distributed,

a plurality of piezoelectric devices attached to said chamber such that a sub-plurality of said piezoelectric devices are lined up in each of two different directions on a predetermined surface, and each piezoelectric device faces said predetermined surface so as to form a two-dimensional array of piezoelectric devices upon said predetermined surface, and each of said piezoelectric devices being driven independently of each other and irradiating an ultrasound beam in a direction substantially perpendicular to said predetermined surface of said two-dimensional array, and

an ultrasonic control section, which supplies sinusoidal electric voltages with at least one of different phases simultaneously and different intensities simultaneously to differing said piezoelectric devices.

34. An apparatus according to claim 33, wherein said predetermined surface is a substantially flat surface.

35. An apparatus for handling particles comprising:

a chamber containing solution in which said particles are suspended;

a first ultrasonic wave generator being arranged in said solution and being formed by first ultrasonic generating elements arranged in two dimensions in a first flat plane, each of said first ultrasonic generating elements being driven independently of each other;

a second ultrasonic wave generator being arranged in said solution and being formed by second ultrasonic generating elements arranged in two dimensions in a second flat plane which is parallel to said first flat plane, each of said second ultrasonic generating elements being driven independently of each other; and

an ultrasonic control section which controls selection of the number and positions of said first and second ultrasonic generating elements, and controls an amplitude and a phase of waveform of each of ultrasonic waves generated by said selected first and second ultrasonic generating elements so as to focus the ultrasonic waves at a predetermined position in said chamber and to move said particles in a direction to a predetermined position at which a minimum point of a force potential is formed by superposition of the gradient force fields by said selected first and second ultrasonic generating elements.

36. An apparatus according to claim 35, wherein each of said first ultrasonic generating elements is mounted on a first flat board and made of transparent material, and each of said second ultrasonic generating elements is mounted on a second flat board and made of transparent material.

37. An apparatus according to claim 35, further comprising a microscope observing said particles in said chamber through said first ultrasonic generating elements, wherein each of said first ultrasonic generating elements is mounted on a first flat board and made of transparent material, and each of said second ultrasonic generating elements in mounted on a second flat board and made of transparent material.

38. An apparatus according to claim 35, wherein a plurality of said minimum points of said force potential are formed one after another sequentially in a plurality of positions in said chamber.

39. An apparatus for handling particles comprising:

a chamber containing fluid, in which said particles are distributed,

a plurality of piezoelectric devices attached to said chamber such that a sub-plurality of said piezoelectric devices are lined up in each of two different directions so as to form a two-dimensional array, and each of said piezoelectric devices being driven independently of each other and irradiating an ultrasound beam along a predetermined direction, and

an ultrasonic control section, which supplies sinusoidal electric voltages with at least one of different phases simultaneously and different intensities simultaneously to differing said piezoelectric devices.

40. An apparatus for concentrating particles in a fluid, comprising:

a chamber having a rectangular parallelepiped space for containing said fluid in which said particles are distributed, said chamber comprising a material which is permeable to light,

a plurality of piezoelectric devices attached to said chamber such that a sub-plurality of said piezoelectric devices are lined up in each of two different directions so as to form a two-dimensional array, and each of said piezoelectric devices being driven independently of each other and irradiating an ultrasound beam into said fluid,

an ultrasonic control section which supplies sinusoidal electric voltages with at least one of different phases simultaneously and different intensities simultaneously to differing said piezoelectric devices,

means for monitoring a distribution of said particles in said chamber by an optical method, and

means for extracting a portion of fluid from said chamber, and means for controlling an extraction place in said chamber by moving a position of a tube in accordance with an observed particle distribution in said chamber using the data obtained from said means for monitoring.

41. An apparatus for concentrating particles in a fluid, comprising:

a chamber having a rectangular parallelepiped space for containing said fluid, and being at least partially constructed of a material which is permeable to light,

first and second plurality sets of piezoelectric devices, each of said first and second plurality sets being attached to a set of opposite outer faces of said chamber and arranged parallel to a flow within said rectangular parallelepiped space so as to introduce ultrasound energy into the chamber perpendicular to said flow'"'"'s direction, said first and second plurality sets each being arranged such that a sub-plurality of said piezoelectric devices are lined up in each of two different directions so as to form a two-dimensional array, and each of said piezoelectric devices being driven independently of each other and irradiating an ultrasound beam,

an ultrasonic control section which supplies sinusoidal electric voltages with at least one of different phases simultaneously and different intensities simultaneously to differing said piezoelectric devices,

a width of said rectangular parallelepiped space perpendicular to said fluid flow in said chamber is λ

/2 or a multiple of λ

/2, and a thickness of a wall of a face of said chamber perpendicular to said fluid flow is λ

/2 or a multiple of λ

/2, where λ

is a wavelength of said ultrasound generated by said piezoelectric devices,

means for monitoring a distribution of said particles in said chamber by an optical method, and

a means for extracting a portion of fluid from said chamber, and means for controlling an extraction place in said chamber by moving a position of a tube in accordance with an observed particle distribution in said chamber using the data obtained from said means for monitoring.

42. An apparatus for handling particles comprising:

a chamber containing fluid in which said particles are distributed,

a plurality of piezoelectric devices driven independently of each other, and which are attached to outer face of said chamber to introduce ultrasound energy into said chamber, said plurality of piezoelectric devices being arranged in a two-dimensional array having a first sub-plurality of piezoelectric devices substantially aligned in a first direction and a second sub-plurality of piezoelectric devices substantially aligned in a second direction, and

an ultrasonic control section which supplies at least one of variable sinusoidal electric voltages and variable phases to each of said piezoelectric devices according to a relative position between said piezoelectric devices, in order to form a predetermined force potential well, in order that said force potential well can be formed at any position in said chamber by a ultrasound irradiated from said piezoelectric devices, and can manipulate said particles to any position in said chamber.

43. An apparatus for concentrating particles in a fluid, comprising:

a chamber having a substantially rectangular parallelepiped space for containing said fluid in which said particles are distributed, said chamber comprising a material which is permeable to light,

a plurality of piezoelectric devices attached to said chamber such that a sub-plurality of said piezoelectric devices are lined up in each of two different directions on a predetermined surface of said chamber, and each piezoelectric device faces said predetermined surface so as to form a two-dimensional array of piezoelectric devices upon said predetermined surface, and each of said piezoelectric devices being driven independently of each other and irradiating an ultrasound beam in a direction substantially perpendicular to said predetermined surface of said two-dimensional array, and

an ultrasonic control section which supplies sinusoidal electric voltages with at least one of different phases simultaneously and different intensities simultaneously to differing said piezoelectric devices,

means for monitoring a distribution of said particles in said chamber by an optical method, and

means for extracting a portion of fluid from said chamber, and means for controlling an extraction place in said chamber by moving a position of a tube in accordance with an observed particle distribution in said chamber using the data obtained from said means for monitoring.

44. An apparatus for handling particles comprising:

a chamber containing solution in which said particles are suspended;

an ultrasonic wave generator being arranged in said solution and being formed by ultrasonic generating elements arranged in two dimensions in a flat plane, each of said ultrasonic generating elements being driven independently of each other, and

an ultrasonic control section which controls an amplitude and a phase of waveform each of ultrasonic waves generated by said ultrasonic generating elements so as to focus the ultrasonic waves at a predetermined position at which said particles are to be trapped in said chamber.

45. An apparatus for handling particles comprising:

a chamber containing solution in which said particles are suspended;

a first ultrasonic wave generator being arranged in said solution and being formed by first ultrasonic generation elements arranged in two dimensions in a first flat plane, each of said first ultrasonic generating elements being driven independently of each other;

a second ultrasonic wave generator being arranged in said solution and being formed by second ultrasonic generating elements arranged in two dimensions in a second flat plane which is parallel to said first flat plane, each of said second ultrasonic generating elements being driven independently of each other; and

an ultrasonic control section which controls selection of the number and positions of said first and second ultrasonic generating elements, and controls an amplitude and a phase of waveform of each of ultrasonic waves generated by said selected first and second ultrasonic generating elements so as to focus the ultrasonic waves at a predetermined position at which said particles are to be trapped in said chamber.

46. An apparatus for handling particles comprising:

a chamber containing solution in which said particles are suspended;

an ultrasonic wave generator being arranged in said solution and being formed by ultrasonic generating elements arranged in two dimensions in a flat plane, each of said ultrasonic generating elements being driven independently of each other; and

an ultrasonic control section which controls an amplitude and a phase of waveform of each of ultrasonic waves generated by said ultrasonic generating elements so as to focus the ultrasonic waves at a direction to a predetermined position at which a minimum point of a force potential is to be formed by superposition of the gradient force fields by said ultrasonic generating elements.