Patent ID: 7829271

Claim:
Process for the localized distribution of drops of a liquid of interest on an active surface of a substrate, the process comprising the following steps: introduction of the liquid of interest into a box via an introduction means, the box enclosing the active surface, and extraction of the liquid of interest from the box via an extraction means, the active surface and also other surfaces inside the box being substantially non-wetting with respect to the liquid of interest with the exception of several localized uptake areas, formed in a given manner on the active surface, which are each suitable for taking up a drop of the liquid of interest, the means for introducing and for extracting the liquid of interest in the box being arranged such that when the liquid of interest is introduced into the box, the liquid of interest covers the uptake areas, and when the liquid of interest is extracted from the box, a drop of the liquid of interest remains captive in a distributed and localized manner on each uptake area, each uptake area being arranged with at least one working area formed on the active surface such that this working area is in contact with the captive drop of liquid of interest, the at least one working area being an area that is non-wetting with respect to the liquid of interest, at least one uptake area having an open or closed ring shape that encircles the at least one working area arranged therewith.