Patent ID: 8685216

Claim:
An apparatus for merging and mixing a first droplet and a second droplet consisting of: a substrate; a first originating electrode, a center electrode, and a second originating electrode, wherein each of the electrodes is disposed on the substrate such that the first originating electrode and the second originating electrode are on opposite sides of the center electrode, and wherein a first gap is formed between the first originating electrode and the center electrode, and a second gap is formed between the center electrode and the second originating electrode, the first gap having a width less than a cross-sectional diameter of the first droplet, and the second gap having a width less than a cross-sectional diameter of the second droplet; and a dielectric layer disposed adjacent to the substrate and covering the first originating electrode, the center electrode, and the second originating electrode, wherein the first originating electrode and the center electrode are positioned to receive the first droplet asymmetrically across only the first gap and resting on the first originating electrode and the center electrode and the second originating electrode and the center electrode are positioned to receive the second droplet asymmetrically across only the second gap and resting on the second originating electrode and the center electrode, and wherein a first voltage potential electrode is positioned and connected to the center electrode to apply a first voltage potential, and a second voltage potential electrode is positioned and connected to apply a second voltage potential to the first originating electrode and the second originating electrode, such that a first gap voltage potential is provided across the first originating electrode and the center electrode simultaneous to a second gap voltage potential across the second originating electrode and the center electrode, wherein the first gap voltage potential across the first originating electrode and the center electrode operates on the first droplet and the second gap voltage potential across the second originating electrode and the center electrode operates on the second droplet, such that the first droplet and the second droplet move toward each other and collide and mix together.