University of Macau

Tianlan Chen

Rui Paulo Da Silva Martins

Yanwei Jia

Cheng Dong

Pui-In Mak

Jie Gao

Mang-I Vai

Haoran Li

Ren Shen

Pui-ln Mak

Liang Wan

Provided is an apparatus, system and method for on-chip microfluids dispensing. The apparatus comprising a substrate; a plurality of first electrodes arranged one next to another on the substrate; a dielectric layer above and enclosing the plurality of first electrodes; and a second electrode on the substrate, wherein each of the plurality of first electrodes is in electric communication with a respective first driving signal input; wherein the second electrode is in electric communication with a second driving signal input; wherein the plurality of first electrodes define a continuous fluid path along a longitudinal direction for retaining microfluids, and wherein the second electrode is arranged within the continuous fluid path and defines a jetting position and an adjacent mixing position within the continuous fluid path.

Apparatus and method for on-chip microfluids dispensing

Provided is a digital microfluidic device for quick polymerase chain reaction. The digital microfluidic device includes an enclosed chamber for holding droplets comprising PCR mixtures. The chamber has an upper layer and a lower layer, which provide a top heater and a bottom heater contained in a thermal electrode respectively to form dual heaters. The lower layer further has an array of electrodes and a dielectric layer, e.g. Norland Optical adhesive 61, coating thereon. Such arrangement of the digital microfluidic device allows quick and homogeneous heating of droplets to lower the heating voltage, shorten the reaction time, and prevent the dielectric layer from breakdown during the thermal cycle.

Digital microfluidics for polymerase chain reaction

According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a control-engaged electrode-driving method for droplet actuation is provided. The method includes, a first pulse is provided to a first electrode for kicking off a droplet till a centroid of the droplet reaching a centroid of the first electrode. A second pulse is provided to a second electrode when a leading edge of the droplet reaching the second electrode.

Cooperative-electrode driving technique for droplet-velocity improvement of digital microfluidic systems

According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a control-engaged electrode-driving method for droplet actuation is provided. The method includes, a first voltage is provided to a first electrode for licking off a droplet. A second voltage is naturally discharged to a third voltage for maintaining a droplet movement. A fourth voltage is provided to the first electrode for accelerating the droplet. Naturally discharging from the second voltage to the third voltage and providing the fourth voltage to the first electrode are repeated. The first voltage is provided to a second electrode when a centroid of the droplet reaching a centroid of the first electrode. Naturally discharging from the second voltage to the third voltage and providing the fourth voltage to the second electrode are repeated.

Electrode-voltage waveform for droplet-velocity and chip-lifetime improvements of digital microfluidic systems

According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a digital microfluidic system is provided. The digital microfluidic system includes a device, a control electronics, a field programmed gate array (FPGA), and a computer. The device includes a droplet on an electrode array, where the electrode array includes a plurality of electrodes. The control electronics connects to the device and provides an actuation pulse to the electrodes, where the control electronics generates a capacitance-derived frequency signal. The FPGA connects to the control electronics and collects the capacitance-derived frequency signal. The computer connects to the FPGA, the computer uses a frequency of the capacitance-derived frequency signal to calculate a precise droplet position and generates a duration voltage signal.

Growing community of inventors

Macau, China

Tianlan Chen