Patent ID: 8147668

Claim:
An apparatus comprising: (a) a first substrate and a second substrate separated from one another to form a gap therebetween, the gap comprising oil, wherein at least one of the first substrate and second substrate comprises: (i) an array of drive electrodes, wherein the array of drive electrodes are configured for conducting electrowetting mediated droplet operations in the gap; (ii) a conducting element comprising a conducting line grid comprising electrically intersecting conducting lines adjacent to the drive electrodes, wherein the electrically intersecting conducting lines form a single electrical element set at a common reference potential; (iii) a dielectric layer covering the drive electrodes, and a hydrophobic layer covering the drive electrodes and the conducting element, wherein the dielectric layer and the hydrophobic layer do not electrically isolate the conducting element from a droplet when formed thereon; (b) an electrode selector electrically configured to bias one or more selected ones of the drive electrodes of the array; (c) a first liquid supply area communicating with the array; (d) a second liquid supply area communicating with the array; and (e) drive electrodes located respectively at said first sample liquid supply area and at said second liquid supply area for being energized to form droplets from said respective liquid supply areas into the gap.