Patent ID: 6858184
Filing Date: 2005-02-22
Classification: B01J,B01L,C40B,G01N

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for exposing a magnetic microparticle to a plurality of liquids, comprising: a) a diamagnetic substrate having a workplace defining x-y coordinates, and for levitation of said microparticle; b) a plurality of stations located at different known workplace x-y coordinates, each station having a chamber for holding a selected liquid, and a chamber opening forming a gas/liquid interface when said chamber contains such liquid, each station being adapted to carry out or participate in one or more selected operations; c) a driving structure positioned adjacent said workplace, said driving structure having drive elements selectively energizable (i) to cause an interaction between selected energized drive elements and one or more selected microparticles, to move said microparticles between selected workplace x-y coordinates, with said microparticles in a levitated state, through interaction of said drive element with said microparticles' dipoles, and (ii) to cause an interaction between selected energized drive elements and one or more selected microparticles, to move said microparticles across said gas/liquid interfaces at said stations; and d) a controller operatively linked to said of drive elements for energizing said drive elements to move said one or more selected microparticles between or among selected stations, and in and out of stations, to accomplish a desired laboratory-activity.