Patent ID: 8349160

Claim:
A method for the manipulation of particles in a conductive solution by means of a field of force wherein said field of force comprises points of stable equilibrium for said particles, said field of force being generated by means of an array of electrodes set at a distance from one another or pitch, comprising the steps of: i. applying a first set of signals on a first sub-set of electrodes of the array of electrodes to provide first static cages having first points of stable equilibrium located in a first spatial position and applying the first set of signals on a second sub-set of electrodes of the array of electrodes to provide second static cages having second points of stable equilibrium located in a second spatial position, wherein particles trapped in the first and second static cages reside in a neighborhood of the first and second points of stable equilibrium, respectively; and ii. maintaining application of the first set of signals on said first sub-set of electrodes only, to maintain the first points of stable equilibrium of the first static cages in the first spatial position, and applying, in place of said first set of signals, a second set of signals on said second sub-set of electrodes, wherein the second static cages become dynamic cages such that said second points of equilibrium are displaced from the second spatial position to a third spatial position spaced at a distance from said second spatial position at least equal to said pitch, wherein each particle trapped in the first static cages at the first points of stable equilibrium will remain in a neighborhood of said first spatial position, while each particle trapped in the dynamic cages will be attracted towards said third spatial position.