Molecular entrapment and enrichment

Abstract

Methods, structures, devices and systems are disclosed for rapid enrichment and mass transport of biomolecules (e.g., such as proteins) or other small molecules and particles using electrodeless dielectrophoresis (eDEP). In one aspect, a device to aggregate molecules includes a substrate that is electrically insulating, an electrically insulative material formed on the substrate and structured to form a channel to carry an electrically conducting fluid containing particles, a constriction structure formed of the electrically insulative material and located in the channel to narrow a channel dimension and forming an opening with a size in the nanometer range, and a circuit coupled to the substrate to apply an ac electric field and a dc bias electric field along the channel, in which the constriction structure is structured to magnify the applied ac electric field to produce forces that operate collectively to aggregate the particles.