Sang Kug Chung and Sung Kwon Cho 2008 J. Micromech. Microeng. 18 125024 doi:10.1088/0960-1317/18/12/125024
Sang Kug Chung and Sung Kwon Cho
Show affiliationsThis paper describes a new on-chip manipulation method for handling millimeter- and micron-sized objects using oscillating mobile bubbles. It is found that acoustically excited oscillating bubbles can attract and capture neighboring objects. A variety of objects, including hydrophilic glass beads (80 µm), polystyrene beads (100 µm), a fish egg (~1 mm) and a live water flea (~1 mm), are successfully captured. The capturing performance is characterized using 80 µm hydrophilic glass particles while varying the acoustic excitation frequency and amplitude. The oscillation amplitude of the bubbles is quantified using high-speed images. At the natural frequencies of the bubbles the capturing range is highest. The capturing range increases as the oscillation amplitude increases. It is also found that while the bubbles are in lateral motion the capturing force is strong enough to hold the captured objects. By integrating acoustic excitation with electrowetting-on-dielectric (EWOD) bubble transportation, it is demonstrated that oscillating mobile bubbles can capture, carry and release neighboring objects on a chip. This new manipulation method may provide an efficient tool for handling millimeter- as well as micron-sized objects such as biological cells.
85.85.+j Micro- and nano-electromechanical systems (MEMS/NEMS) and devices
Issue 12 (December 2008)
Received 19 June 2008, in final form 16 September 2008
Published 19 November 2008
Sang Kug Chung and Sung Kwon Cho 2008 J. Micromech. Microeng. 18 125024
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