A method of manufacturing a microfluidic apparatus , the method comprising: bonding a spacing element to an inner surface of a cover having at least one electrode configured to be connected to a voltage source; bonding the spacing element and cover to a dielectric surface of a substrate having at least one electrode configured to be connected to a voltage source, whereby the spacing element becomes sandwiched between the inner surface of the cover and the dielectric surface of the substrate, with the cover and the substrate oriented substantially parallel to one another, and the substrate, spacing element, and cover collectively defining an enclosure configured to hold a liquid, wherein the substrate further comprises an inner dielectric layer , wherein the dielectric surface of the substrate is a surface of the inner dielectric layer, characterized in that the inner dielectric layer of the substrate comprises a first layer of dielectric material and a second layer of dielectric material, the first layer of dielectric material comprising an oxide; the method further characterized by forming, by vapor deposition, a first densely packed hydrophobic monolayer on at least a portion of the inner surface of the cover, wherein the first densely packed hydrophobic monolayer comprises self-associating molecules covalently bonded to the inner surface of the cover; and forming, by vapor deposition, a second densely packed hydrophobic monolayer on at least a portion of the dielectric surface of the substrate, wherein the second densely packed hydrophobic monolayer comprises self-associating molecules covalently bonded to the dielectric surface of the substrate. bonding a spacing element to an inner surface of a cover having at least one electrode configured to be connected to a voltage source; bonding the spacing element and cover to a dielectric surface of a substrate having at least one electrode configured to be connected to a voltage source, whereby the spacing element becomes sandwiched between the inner surface of the cover and the dielectric surface of the substrate, with the cover and the substrate oriented substantially parallel to one another, and the substrate, spacing element, and cover collectively defining an enclosure configured to hold a liquid, wherein the substrate further comprises an inner dielectric layer , wherein the dielectric surface of the substrate is a surface of the inner dielectric layer, characterized in that the inner dielectric layer of the substrate comprises a first layer of dielectric material and a second layer of dielectric material, the first layer of dielectric material comprising an oxide; the method further characterized by forming, by vapor deposition, a first densely packed hydrophobic monolayer on at least a portion of the inner surface of the cover, wherein the first densely packed hydrophobic monolayer comprises self-associating molecules covalently bonded to the inner surface of the cover; and forming, by vapor deposition, a second densely packed hydrophobic monolayer on at least a portion of the dielectric surface of the substrate, wherein the second densely packed hydrophobic monolayer comprises self-associating molecules covalently bonded to the dielectric surface of the substrate. <EOS>