Patent ID: 8834695
Filing Date: 2014-09-16
Classification: B01L

Abstract:
1. A method of manipulating droplet in a programmable EWOD microelectrode array comprising multiple microelectrodes, the method comprising: (a) constructing a bottom plate comprising an array of multiple microelectrodes disposed on a top surface of a substrate covered by a dielectric layer; wherein each of the microelectrodes is coupled to at least one grounding element of a grounding mechanism, wherein a hydrophobic layer is disposed on the top of the dielectric layer and the grounding elements to make hydrophobic surfaces with the droplets, and the grounding mechanism is a hybrid structure comprising a combination of a bi-planar structure and a coplanar structure with a selectable switch; (b) manipulating the multiple microelectrodes to configure a group of configured-electrodes to generate microfluidic components and layouts with selected shapes and sizes, wherein the group of configured-electrodes including: a first configured-electrode comprising a plurality of microelectrodes arranged in array, and at least one second adjacent configured-electrode adjacent to the first configured-electrode, the droplet being disposed on the top of the first configured-electrode and overlapped with a portion of the second adjacent-configured-electrode; and (c) manipulating one or more droplets among the group of configured-electrodes by sequentially applying driving voltages activating and de-activating one or more selected configured-electrodes to sequentially activate/deactivate the selected configured-electrodes to actuate droplets to move along a selected route.