Microfluidic control using dielectric pumping
First Claim
1. A pumping device comprising a substrate having walls which define a microchannel, a first electrode, and a second electrode, wherein said first and second electrodes are positioned to form a first capacitor having an electric field that traverses the microchannel, wherein the microchannel contains a first fluid and a second fluid between the electrodes, said first and second fluids having a first interface therebetween and said first and second fluids having different constants such that the first interface between said fluids moves in the presence of the electric field, and wherein the first electrode is configured to have a first potential applied to a first end of the electrode and a second potential applied to a second end of the electrode.
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Abstract
Devices and methods utilizing dielectric pumping and variable dielectric pumping to move fluids through microchannels. Two fluids having dissimilar dielectric constants form an interface that is positioned between two electrodes in order to move the interface and therefore the fluids. Dielectric pumping and variable dielectric pumping may be used to move fluids in miniaturized analytical packages containing microchannels in which forces created by surface tension predominate over the gravitational force.
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Citations
24 Claims
- 1. A pumping device comprising a substrate having walls which define a microchannel, a first electrode, and a second electrode, wherein said first and second electrodes are positioned to form a first capacitor having an electric field that traverses the microchannel, wherein the microchannel contains a first fluid and a second fluid between the electrodes, said first and second fluids having a first interface therebetween and said first and second fluids having different constants such that the first interface between said fluids moves in the presence of the electric field, and wherein the first electrode is configured to have a first potential applied to a first end of the electrode and a second potential applied to a second end of the electrode.
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19. A pumping device comprising a substrate having walls which define a microchannel, a first electrode, and a second electrode, wherein said first and second electrodes are positioned to form a first capacitor having an electric field that traverses the microchannel, wherein the microchannel contains a first fluid and a second fluid between the electrodes, said first and second fluids having a first interface therebetween and said first and second fluids having a different dielectric constants such that the first interface between said fluids moves in the presence of the electric field, wherein the first electrode is configured to have a first potential applied to a first end of the electrode and a second potential applied to a second end of the electrode, and wherein the second electrode is configured to have a third potential applied to said electrode, wherein the third potential is greater than said first potential, and wherein the third potential is less than said second potential.
- 20. A method of moving a first fluid in a microchannel, said method comprising placing an interface formed by said first fluid and a second fluid in an electric field generated by a capacitor having a first plate at first potential and a second plate at a second potential by placing a first end of the second plate at the second potential and placing a second end of the second plate at a third potential, said second potential being greater than said first potential and said third potential being less than said first potential, wherein said first fluid and said second fluid have sufficiently dissimilar dielectric constants that said interface moves in the presence of said electric field.
Specification