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Droplet actuator devices and methods employing magnetic beads

  • US 9,046,514 B2
  • Filed: 02/11/2008
  • Issued: 06/02/2015
  • Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2007
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A method of providing a droplet in contact with magnetically responsive beads and having a reduced quantity of a substance, the method comprising:

  • (a) providing a droplet actuator comprising;

    (i) magnet sets and electrode sets, wherein;

    (1) each electrode set comprises one or more electrodes associated with a substrate;

    (2) two or more electrode sets are arranged to form an array of electrodes and configured for conducting one or more droplet operations;

    (3) each magnet set comprises one or more magnets;

    (4) each magnet set is arranged in a relationship with an electrode set such that magnetic field(s) exerted by the magnet set restricts a mobility of the magnetically responsive beads to a locus which is proximate to the electrode set; and

    (5) each magnet set is arranged in relationship to an adjacent magnet set(s), which relationship is a polar opposite to a polar orientation of the adjacent magnet set;

    (ii) a starting droplet associated with each electrode set, each starting droplet comprising;

    (1) magnetically responsive beads;

    (2) a starting quantity of the substance; and

    (3) a starting volume;

    (b) conducting one or more droplet operations to merge a wash droplet with each starting droplet to yield a combined droplet associated with each electrode set;

    (c) magnetically immobilizing the magnetically responsive beads at a target droplet splitting zone on each electrode set;

    (d) conducting one or more droplet operations comprising droplet dividing operations selected to divide the combined droplet at the droplet splitting zone to yield a set of droplets on each electrode set comprising;

    (i) a droplet comprising substantially all of the magnetically responsive beads and having a decreased quantity of the substance relative to the starting concentration; and

    (ii) a droplet substantially lacking the magnetically responsive beads; and

    wherein (d) is conducted without removing the magnet set immobilizing the magnetically responsive beads.

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