INTERMITTENT DRIVING PATTERNS FOR EXTENDED HOLDING OF DROPLETS IN A DIGITAL MICROFLUIDIC DEVICE

• Main Authors: PAOLINI, Richard J. Jr, SLOMINSKI, Luke M
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French; German
• Published: 26.04.2023
• Subjects: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL; TRANSPORTING

A method for holding an aqueous droplet in a selected location within a microfluidic device. The microfluidic device comprises: a top plate comprising a top substrate, a first layer of hydrophobic material applied to a surface of the top substrate, and a common top electrode between the first layer of hydrophobic material and the top substrate; a bottom plate comprising a pixel array, the pixel array comprising a plurality of pixel electrodes and a second layer of hydrophobic material applied over the plurality of pixel electrodes, and a microfluidic gap between the first and second layers of hydrophobic material. The method comprises: applying an intermittent driving pattern to pixels under the area of the droplet. The intermittent driving pattern comprises, in order: actuating a first subset of the pixels under the area of the droplet, and actuating a second subset of the pixels under the area of the droplet.