Nuclera Ltd

Nuclera Nucleics Ltd.

David Zhitomirsky

Richard J Paolini, Jr

Cristina Visani

Luke M Slominski

Ian French

Gordon R McInroy

Michael Chun Hao Chen

Sumit Kalsi

Laurence Livingstone Bell

Tanya Gupta

Annie Tsai

Richard J Paolini

Rick Paolini

A method for degassing a microfluidic droplet by combining electrowetting and heating to induce formation of gaseous bubbles in the droplet. In an embodiment the methods are carried out on an active matrix of electrowetting electrodes including a hydrophobic coating. A carrier fluid is flowed against the droplet motion propelled by electrowetting to facilitate rapid removal of the gasses departing the droplet.

Method for degassing liquid droplets by electrical actuation at higher temperatures

An active matrix electrowetting on dielectric (AM-EWoD) device including a substrate with thin-film transistors (TFT), a dielectric layer, and a spatially variable wettability layer covering the dielectric layer. As depicted herein, the spatially variable wettability layer may include a plurality of portions having different contact angles, one or more contact angle gradients, or both.

Spatially variable hydrophobic layers for digital microfluidics

A method for moving an aqueous droplet comprising providing an electrokinetic device including a first substrate having a matrix of electrodes, wherein each of the matrix electrodes is coupled to a thin film transistor, and wherein the matrix electrodes are overcoated with a functional coating comprising: a dielectric layer in contact with the matrix electrodes, a conformal layer in contact with the dielectric layer, and a hydrophobic layer in contact with the confornial layer; a second substrate comprising a top electrode; a spacer disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate and defining an electrokinetic workspace; and a voltage source operatively coupled to the niatrix electrodes. The method further comprises disposing an aqueous droplet on a first matrix electrode; and providing a differential electrical potential between the first matrix electrode and a second matrix electrode with the voltage source, thereby moving the aqueous droplet.

Method of electrowetting

A digital microfluidic device, comprising a bottom plate and a top plate. The bottom plate comprises a bottom electrode array comprising a plurality of digital microfluidic propulsion electrodes. The top plate comprises a segmented top electrode array comprising a plurality of separately voltage addressable top electrode segments. Each top electrode segment and at least two of the propulsion electrodes of the bottom electrode array form a zone within the device. A controller is operatively coupled to the top electrode array and to the bottom electrode array and is configured to provide propulsion voltages between the top plate segment and the bottom plate propulsion electrodes of at least one of the zones. The top plate and the bottom plate are provided in a spaced relationship defining a microfluidic region therebetween.

Segmented top plate for variable driving and short protection for digital microfluidics

A digital microfluidic device including an active matrix of propulsion electrodes controlled by thin-film-transistors. The device includes at least two areas of different propulsion electrode densities. One area may be driven by directly-driving the propulsion electrodes from a power supply or function generator. In the first, higher density region; a first dielectric layer covers the propulsion electrodes. The first dielectric layer has a first dielectric constant and a first thickness. In the second, lower density region, a second dielectric layer has a second dielectric constant and a second thickness covering the propulsion electrodes.

Spatially variable dielectric layers for digital microfluidics

Active matrix backplanes including an array of hexagonal electrodes or an array of triangular electrodes. Because the backplane designs route the gate lines along the periphery of the electrodes there is less cross talk with the surface of the electrode. The disclosed designs simplify construction and control of the electrodes and improve the regularity of the electric field above the electrode. Such backplane electrode designs may be particularly useful in electrowetting on dielectric (EWoD) devices and electrophoretic displays (EPD).

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Woburn, MA, United States of America

David Zhitomirsky