Harvard College

Thomas Hunt

Robert M Westervelt

Ania Bleszynski

Keith Brown

Jonathan Aguilar

Dielectrophoretic (DEP) tweezers apparatus and methods for various applications, including particle trapping. Two electrodes are disposed on or otherwise constitute an elongated object forming a tip. A voltage is applied across these electrodes to produce a non-uniform electromagnetic field proximate to the tip thereby creating a dielectrophoretic trap. Once trapped, a particle may be moved to desired locations via manipulation of the elongated object or the medium in which the particle is located. Multiple DEP tweezers apparatus may be arranged to form arrays of tips capable of respectively generating local electromagnetic fields confined to the tips. Such DEP arrays may be employed in nanofabrication processes involving nanolithography or nano-manipulation, as well as data storage and retrieval applications.

Dielectrophoretic tweezers apparatus and methods

Dielectrophoretic (DEP) tweezers apparatus and methods for various applications, including particle trapping. Multiple electrodes (e.g., two or three) are disposed on or otherwise constitute an elongated object forming a tip. Exemplary electrode configurations include, but are not limited to, coaxial and triaxial arrangements. A voltage is applied across these electrodes to produce a non-uniform electromagnetic field proximate to the tip thereby creating a dielectrophoretic trap. Once trapped, a particle may be moved to desired locations via manipulation of the elongated object or the medium in which the particle is located. Multiple DEP tweezers apparatus may be arranged to form arrays of tips capable of respectively generating local electromagnetic fields confined to the tips. Such DEP arrays may be employed in nanofabrication processes involving nanolithography or nano-manipulation, as well as data storage and retrieval applications.

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Portland, OR, United States of America

Thomas Hunt