A digital microfluidic chip driving system and driving method

By introducing cross-addressing control of voltage source, power relay and solid-state relay in the digital microfluidic chip drive system, combined with light-emitting diode monitoring, the problems of system complexity and component damage are solved, and high-throughput, reliable droplet control and component maintenance are achieved.

CN119565692BActive Publication Date: 2025-09-26SOUTH CHINA NORMAL UNIV
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Patent Information

Application Number
CN202411753456.5
Authority / Receiving Office
CN · China
Patent Type
Patents(China)
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2024-12-02
Publication Date
2025-09-26
Estimated Expiration
2044-12-02

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Existing digital microfluidics technology has problems such as high control circuit complexity, limited main control output ports, and easily damaged electronic components and difficult maintenance, resulting in expensive systems and low reliability.

Method used

The driving circuit includes a voltage source, a power relay and a solid-state relay. The cross-addressing control is achieved through the main control development board. The relay status is monitored by the light-emitting diode, which supports independent replacement of damaged components.

Benefits of technology

It improves system throughput, enables effective monitoring and maintenance of key components, enhances system stability and reliability, and reduces system complexity and cost.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Abstract

An embodiment of the present invention provides a digital microfluidic chip drive system and drive method, the system comprising: a drive circuit including a voltage source, a power relay, and an independently replaceable solid-state relay; a digital microfluidic chip connected to the power relay in the drive circuit; and a main control development board connected to the solid-state relay in the drive circuit, the solid-state relay being simultaneously connected to the power relay, and the power relay being simultaneously connected to the voltage source. The main control development board utilizes multiple ports to output a target voltage to the solid-state relay through cross-addressing to control the opening and closing of the solid-state relay, and controls the digital microfluidic chip by controlling the opening of the solid-state relay when the solid-state relay outputs the target voltage. The digital microfluidic chip drive system and drive method of the present invention are simple in structure, support monitoring, and are easy to maintain.
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Description

Technical Field

[0001] The embodiments of the present invention relate to the field of microfluidics technology, and in particular to a digital microfluidics chip driving system and driving method. Background Art

[0002] Microfluidics, a technology that manipulates the flow of liquids in micron-scale channels, is widely used in fields such as biomedicine, chemical analysis, and environmental monitoring. A significant advantage of microfluidics is its ability to process extremely small amounts of samples, enabling efficient, rapid, and low-cost analysis and detection. However, traditional microfluidics often relies on external devices such as pumps and valves to control the flow of fluids, which increases the complexity and cost of the system.

[0003] In recent years, with the development of microfluidics, digital microfluidics (DMF) has gradually emerged. Currently, the mainstream digital microfluidics technology uses direct addressing, meaning that the electrode array on the system chip needs to be connected to the main control board port in a one-to-one correspondence. Therefore, the system throughput is often limited by the complexity of the main control output port or the drive circuit. Existing cross-addressing drive methods mostly use thin-film transistors (TFTs) as pixel switches to control the switching of electrodes. However, TFTs are usually directly integrated with the chip electrodes, and the electronic components are prone to damage after long-term operation, especially under high-frequency switching operations. If the TFTs are partially damaged, they are difficult to repair and replace individually. At the same time, TFTs are expensive and have limited control voltages, making the system extremely expensive and limiting. Therefore, how to achieve high system throughput and effectively monitor and maintain key system components is also a problem that should be paid attention to.

[0004] In summary, existing digital microfluidic technology has many shortcomings in terms of control circuit complexity, limited main control output ports, and electronic component monitoring and maintenance. A new solution is urgently needed to improve the performance and reliability of microfluidic systems. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The present invention provides a digital microfluidic chip driving system and driving method which are simple in structure, support monitoring and are easy to maintain.

[0006] In order to solve the above technical problems, an embodiment of the present invention provides a digital microfluidic chip driving system, comprising:

[0007] Drive circuit, including voltage source, power relay and independently replaceable solid-state relay;

[0008] a digital microfluidic chip connected to the power relay; and

[0009] A main control development board is connected to the solid-state relay in the drive circuit, the solid-state relay is also connected to the power relay, and the power relay is also connected to the voltage source. The main control development board uses multiple ports to output target levels to the solid-state relay through cross-addressing to control the opening and closing of the solid-state relay, and controls the digital microfluidic chip by controlling the opening of the solid-state relay when the solid-state relay outputs the target voltage.

[0010] In some embodiments, the driving circuit further includes a light-emitting diode connected to the main control development board and the solid-state relay, and the light-emitting diode is used to monitor whether the solid-state relay is working properly.

[0011] In some embodiments, the solid-state relay includes an LED lamp and a field-effect transistor;

[0012] The power relay includes an electromagnetic coil and a mechanical contact system;

[0013] The main control development board and the power relay have an output normally closed end, the digital microfluidic chip is an electrowetting digital microfluidic chip, and the output normally closed end and the top plate of the digital microfluidic chip are both grounded.

[0014] In some embodiments, the anode of the light-emitting diode is connected to the main control development board, the cathode of the light-emitting diode is connected to the anode of the LED lamp, the cathode of the LED lamp is connected to the main control development board, the input end of the field effect transistor is connected to the main control development board, the output end of the field effect transistor is connected to one end of the electromagnetic coil, the other end of the electromagnetic coil is grounded, the normally open end of the mechanical contact system is connected to the output end of the voltage source, the normally closed end of the mechanical contact system is grounded, and the common end of the mechanical contact system is connected to the corresponding electrode sheet on the digital microfluidic chip;

[0015] The voltage source is used to provide DC or AC voltage to the mechanical contact system, thereby powering the drive circuit, main control development board and digital microfluidic chip, thereby driving the droplets on the digital microfluidic chip to move along a specified path.

[0016] In some embodiments, there are multiple drive circuits, and / or each drive circuit includes multiple power relays and solid-state relays. The main control development board uses multiple ports to output high or low levels to multiple solid-state relays through cross-addressing to achieve switching control of multiple solid-state relays.

[0017] In some embodiments, the digital microfluidic chip comprises:

[0018] An upper substrate and a lower base are relatively spaced apart;

[0019] a lower conductive layer disposed on a side of the lower substrate facing the upper substrate, and an upper conductive layer disposed on a side of the upper substrate facing the lower substrate;

[0020] a dielectric layer disposed on the lower substrate and covering the lower conductive layer;

[0021] a lower hydrophobic layer disposed on the surface of the dielectric layer, and an upper hydrophobic layer disposed on the surface of the upper conductive layer;

[0022] A gasket is provided between the upper hydrophobic layer and the lower hydrophobic layer for providing a supporting force.

[0023] In some embodiments, the lower conductive layer is composed of one or more electrode sheets. When there are multiple driving circuits, there are multiple electrode sheets, which are distributed in an array on the lower conductive layer. The multiple electrode sheets are connected to the driving circuits one by one.

[0024] Another embodiment of the present invention also provides a driving method, which is applied to the monitorable digital microfluidic chip driving system as described above, and the method includes:

[0025] The main control development board determines the electrode control requirements of the digital microfluidic chip to drive the droplets, and inputs a high-level signal and a low-level signal to the anode and cathode of the solid-state relay in the driving circuit respectively according to the electrode control requirements to turn on the solid-state relay;

[0026] The solid-state relay conducts a connection between the voltage source and the digital microfluidic chip, and controls the power relay to turn on based on the target voltage provided by the main control development board;

[0027] The voltage source provides corresponding voltage to the digital microfluidic chip according to the voltage type and magnitude requirements of the digital microfluidic chip for driving droplets.

[0028] In some embodiments, inputting a high level signal and a low level signal to the anode and cathode of the solid-state relay in the driving circuit respectively according to the electrode control requirement includes:

[0029] The main control development board inputs a high level signal and a low level signal to the anode and cathode of the LED lamp in the solid-state relay respectively according to the electrode control requirements;

[0030] The method further comprises:

[0031] The solid-state relay receives the light-emitting signal of the LED through the internal field-effect transistor, and transmits the input terminal voltage of the field-effect transistor to the output terminal to realize output control.

[0032] In some embodiments, the method further comprises:

[0033] The power relay applies voltage to both ends of the electromagnetic coil inside the power relay to conduct the common end and the normally open end of the mechanical contact system inside the power relay, and the normally open end is connected to the voltage source at the same time.

[0034] Based on the disclosure of the above embodiments, it can be known that the beneficial effects of the embodiments of the present invention include the ability to realize a digital microfluidic system to improve the system flux, and to effectively monitor and maintain the key components of the system. The drive system in the present application improves the problem of complex structure of the drive system of the traditional high-throughput microfluidic chip, and solves the problem that the active digital microfluidic chip based on thin film transistors cannot monitor and is not easy to replace the key components of the drive system. The drive system proposed in this application provides a level signal to drive the power relay and solid-state relay through the main control development board to form a cross-addressing array control, and then drives the corresponding electrode sheet on the digital microfluidic chip to achieve precise control of the movement path of the droplets on the chip. In addition, the drive system in this application can effectively monitor whether each relay is working properly by setting a light-emitting diode, and assist in supporting the independent replacement of damaged relays, thereby significantly improving the stability and reliability of the system operation, while ensuring the accuracy of the drive system in driving the liquid on the chip.

[0035] Other features and advantages of the present application will be described in the following description, and in part will become apparent from the description, or will be understood by practicing the present application. The purposes and other advantages of the present application can be realized and obtained by the structures particularly pointed out in the written description, claims, and drawings.

[0036] The technical solution of the present application is further described in detail below through the accompanying drawings and examples. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0037] In order to more clearly illustrate the specific embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the specific embodiments or the description of the prior art. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying any creative work.

[0038] Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the structure of the digital microfluidic chip driving system in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0039] Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the structure of the digital microfluidic chip in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0040] Figure 3Schematic diagram of the structure of the driving circuit in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0041] Figure 4 Schematic diagram of the driving method in an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0042] The specific embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, but are not intended to limit the present invention.

[0043] It should be understood that various modifications may be made to the embodiments disclosed herein. Therefore, the following description should not be considered as limiting, but merely as an example of an embodiment. Other modifications within the scope and spirit of the present disclosure will occur to those skilled in the art.

[0044] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate embodiments of the present disclosure and, together with the general description of the present disclosure given above and the detailed description of the embodiments given below, serve to explain the principles of the present disclosure.

[0045] These and other characteristics of the invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferred form of embodiment given as a non-limiting example with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0046] It should also be understood that although the invention has been described with reference to certain specific examples, those skilled in the art will be able to realize many other equivalent forms of the invention that have the characteristics recited in the claims and are therefore within the scope of protection defined thereby.

[0047] The above and other aspects, features and advantages of the present disclosure will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0048] Specific embodiments of the present disclosure will be described hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings; however, it should be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely examples of the present disclosure, which may be implemented in a variety of ways. Well-known and / or repetitive functions and structures are not described in detail to avoid obscuring the present disclosure with unnecessary or redundant detail. Therefore, the specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not intended to be limiting, but rather serve merely as a basis and representative basis for the claims to teach those skilled in the art to variously employ the present disclosure with substantially any suitable detailed structure.

[0049] This description may use the phrases "in one embodiment," "in another embodiment," "in a further embodiment," or "in other embodiments," each of which may refer to one or more of the same or different embodiments according to the present disclosure.

[0050] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0051] like Figure 1 As shown, an embodiment of the present invention provides a digital microfluidic chip driving system, comprising:

[0052] Drive circuit 1, including a voltage source, a power relay, and a solid-state relay that can be replaced independently;

[0053] A digital microfluidic chip 3 connected to the power relay; and

[0054] The main control development board 2 is connected to the solid-state relay in the driving circuit 1, and the solid-state relay is also connected to the power relay, and the power relay is also connected to the voltage source. The main control development board 2 uses multiple ports to output the target level to the solid-state relay through cross-addressing to control the opening and closing of the solid-state relay, and controls the digital microfluidic chip 3 by controlling the opening of the solid-state relay when the solid-state relay outputs the target voltage.

[0055] Furthermore, the driving circuit 1 in this embodiment also includes a light-emitting diode connected to the main control development board 2 and the solid-state relay. The light-emitting diode is used to monitor whether the solid-state relay is working normally. When the monitoring determines that the solid-state relay is damaged, the light-emitting diode outputs a corresponding light signal to promptly notify the staff to replace the damaged solid-state relay. The solid-state relay in this embodiment supports separate replacement, that is, it does not affect the operation of other components.

[0056] Specifically, the various components within the drive system can be connected via PCB conductors, DuPont wires, or flexible flat cables. The solid-state relay includes an LED and a field-effect transistor; the power relay includes an electromagnetic coil and a mechanical contact system. The main control development board 2 and the power relay have a normally closed output terminal, which is grounded, as is the top plate of the digital microfluidic chip 3.

[0057] In this embodiment, the anode of the light-emitting diode is connected to the main control development board 2, the cathode of the light-emitting diode is connected to the anode of the LED lamp, the cathode of the LED lamp is connected to the main control development board 2, the input end of the field-effect transistor is connected to the main control development board 2, the output end of the field-effect transistor is connected to one end of the electromagnetic coil, the other end of the electromagnetic coil is grounded, the normally open end of the mechanical contact system is connected to the output end of the voltage source, the normally closed end of the mechanical contact system is grounded, and the common end of the mechanical contact system is connected to the corresponding electrode sheet on the digital microfluidic chip 3. The voltage source is used to provide a DC or AC voltage to the mechanical contact system, thereby energizing the drive circuit 1, the main control development board 2, and the digital microfluidic chip 3, thereby driving the droplets on the digital microfluidic chip 3 to move along a specified path.

[0058] Based on the contents of the above embodiments, it can be known that the drive system can realize the digital microfluidic system to improve the system flux, and effectively monitor and maintain the key components of the system. The drive system in this embodiment improves the problem of the complex structure of the drive system of the traditional high-throughput microfluidic chip 3, and solves the problem that the active digital microfluidic chip 3 based on thin film transistors cannot monitor and is not easy to replace the key components of the drive system. Specifically, the drive system in this embodiment provides a level signal to drive the power relay and solid-state relay through the main control development board 2, forming a cross-addressing array control, and then drives the corresponding electrode sheet on the digital microfluidic chip 3, realizing the precise control of the movement path of the droplets on the chip on the chip. In addition, the drive system in this embodiment can effectively monitor whether each relay is working properly by setting a light-emitting diode, and assists in supporting the independent replacement of damaged relays, thereby significantly improving the stability and reliability of the system operation, and ensuring the driving accuracy of the drive system to the liquid on the chip.

[0059] Continue to combine Figure 1 As shown, there are multiple drive circuits 1, and / or each drive circuit 1 includes multiple power relays and solid-state relays. The main control development board 2 uses multiple ports to output high or low levels to multiple solid-state relays through cross-addressing to achieve switching control of multiple solid-state relays. Figure 1 and Figure 2 The driving circuits 11 and electrode sheets 3.1 shown in the figure are only four (2×2 array), but more can be provided. There can also be multiple power relays, solid-state relays, and electrode sheets, which can be provided as needed.

[0060] In one embodiment, the digital microfluidic chip 3 in this embodiment includes:

[0061] An upper substrate and a lower base are relatively spaced apart;

[0062] a lower conductive layer disposed on a side of the lower substrate facing the upper substrate, and an upper conductive layer disposed on a side of the upper substrate facing the lower substrate;

[0063] a dielectric layer disposed on the lower substrate and covering the lower conductive layer;

[0064] a lower hydrophobic layer disposed on the surface of the dielectric layer, and an upper hydrophobic layer disposed on the surface of the upper conductive layer;

[0065] A gasket is provided between the upper hydrophobic layer and the lower hydrophobic layer for providing a supporting force.

[0066] The lower conductive layer is composed of one or more electrode sheets. When there are multiple driving circuits, there are multiple electrode sheets distributed in an array on the lower conductive layer. The multiple electrode sheets are connected to the driving circuits one by one.

[0067] For example, Figure 2 As shown, the digital microfluidic chip 3 includes an upper conductive layer 3.1, a lower conductive layer 3.2, a lower base 3.3, an upper substrate 3.4, a dielectric layer 3.5, a lower hydrophobic layer 3.6, an upper hydrophobic layer 3.7 and a gasket 3.8. Among them, the upper conductive layer 3.1 and the lower conductive layer 3.2 can be composed of any one of metals and metal oxides, and the lower conductive layer 3.2 is formed based on an array of distributed electrode sheets; the lower substrate 3.3 can be formed of any one of glass, silicon, and PCB; the upper substrate 3.4 is a transparent material glass; the dielectric layer 3.5 is used to accumulate charge to prevent the electrode from being broken down during droplet operation, and its material can be polyparaxylene, SU-8 photoresist, SiO2, Si3N4, Al2O3 or polyparaxylene; the lower hydrophobic layer 3.6 and the upper hydrophobic layer 3.7 can be solidified by Teflon through spin coating and baking processes; the gasket 3.7 is arranged between the upper hydrophobic layer 3.7 and the lower hydrophobic layer 3.6 to support the upper substrate 3.4 and other components.

[0068] In actual application, continue to Figure 1 Taking the structure shown as an example, the main control development board 2 in the drive system is formed by an Arduino Mega 2560, the solid-state relay is formed by an EL440A, and cross-addressing is implemented. The power relay is formed by an HF41F to achieve power disconnection and connection of the electrode sheet. Specifically, the main control development board 2 controls whether the drive circuit 1 in the i and j directions is turned on by applying a high level and a low level to the i-upward port and the j-upward port, respectively, thereby achieving the effect of controlling i×j electrode sheets using only i+j ports. Under initial conditions, the voltage across the above-mentioned ports is set to Vi≤Vj. At this time, all drive circuits 1 are turned off, and the electrode sheets of the digital microfluidic chip 3 are not powered. When different voltage levels are applied to both ends of the port so that Vi-Vj≥3V, the driving circuit 1 corresponding to i and j upward is controlled to be turned on, so that the electrode sheet corresponding to the digital microfluidic chip 3 is powered on. At this time, the digital microfluidic chip 3 is wetted to form an electrowetting digital microfluidic chip 3, which controls the droplets to move to the position corresponding to the electrode sheet through electrowetting force; when Vi-Vj<3V, the driving circuit 1 corresponding to i and j upward is turned off, and the electrode sheet corresponding to the digital microfluidic chip 3 has no voltage.

[0069] Combine Figure 3As shown, in the driving circuit 1, port i (i.e., the i-directional port) of the main control development board 2 is connected to the anode 1.3.1 of the light-emitting diode 1.3, the cathode 1.3.2 of the light-emitting diode 1.3 is connected to the anode 1.2.1 of the LED lamp inside the solid-state relay 1.2, and the cathode 1.2.2 of the LED lamp is connected to port j of the main control development board 2. The main control development board 2 also has a 5V output port, which is connected to the input terminal 1.2.3 of the field-effect transistor. The output terminal 1.2.4 of the field-effect transistor is connected to one end 1.1.1 of the electromagnetic coil, and the other end 1.1.2 of the electromagnetic coil is grounded. The normally open terminal 1.1.4 of the mechanical contact system is connected to the output terminal of the voltage source, the normally closed terminal 1.1.3 is grounded, and the common terminal 1.1.5 is connected to the corresponding electrode 3.1 of the digital microfluidic chip 3. Furthermore, as previously mentioned, LED 1.3 is used to monitor the proper functioning of the drive circuit components, particularly solid-state relay 1.2. If LED 1.3 is off, solid-state relay 1.2 is damaged and needs to be replaced. If LED 1.3 is on but the corresponding electrode 3.1 is not powered, power relay 1.1 is damaged and needs to be replaced. The aforementioned components can be connected using soldering or chip clips, facilitating installation and removal.

[0070] Further, if Figure 4 As shown, another embodiment of the present invention also provides a driving method, which is applied to the monitorable digital microfluidic chip driving system as described in any of the above embodiments, and the method includes:

[0071] S1: The main control development board determines the electrode control requirements of the digital microfluidic chip to drive the droplets, and inputs a high-level signal and a low-level signal to the anode and cathode of the solid-state relay in the driving circuit respectively according to the electrode control requirements to turn on the solid-state relay;

[0072] S2: The solid-state relay conducts the connection between the voltage source and the digital microfluidic chip, and controls the power relay to turn on based on the target voltage provided by the main control development board;

[0073] S3: The voltage source provides corresponding voltage to the digital microfluidic chip according to the voltage type and magnitude requirements of the digital microfluidic chip for driving droplets.

[0074] Wherein, inputting a high level signal and a low level signal to the anode and cathode of the solid-state relay in the driving circuit respectively according to the electrode control requirement includes:

[0075] S4: The main control development board inputs a high level signal and a low level signal to the anode and cathode of the LED lamp in the solid-state relay respectively according to the electrode control requirements;

[0076] The method further comprises:

[0077] S5: The solid-state relay receives the LED light-emitting signal through the internal field-effect transistor, and transmits the input voltage of the field-effect transistor to the output end to achieve output control.

[0078] S6: The power relay applies voltage to both ends of the electromagnetic coil inside the power relay to conduct the common end and the normally open end of the mechanical contact system inside the power relay, and the normally open end is connected to the voltage source at the same time.

[0079] For example, continue to combine Figure 2 As shown, solid-state relay 1.2 controls the onset of field-effect transistor 1.2.6 by turning on LED 1.2.5. Power relay 1.1 controls mechanical contact system 1.1.7 by turning on electromagnetic coil 1.1.6. When VLED ≥ 1.18V, LED 1.2.5 illuminates, turning on field-effect transistor 1.2.6. Output terminal 1.2.4 generates a 5V voltage, which flows current through electromagnetic coil 1.1.6, generating a magnetic field. This ultimately connects common terminal 1.1.5 to normally open terminal 1.1.4, and voltage source 1.4 energizes the corresponding electrode 3.1.

[0080] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that embodiments of the present invention may be provided as methods, systems, or computer program products. Thus, the present invention may take the form of an entirely hardware embodiment, an entirely software embodiment, or an embodiment combining software and hardware. Furthermore, the present invention may take the form of a computer program product implemented on one or more computer-usable storage media (including but not limited to magnetic disk storage and optical storage, etc.) containing computer-usable program code.

[0081] The present invention is described with reference to flowcharts and / or block diagrams of methods, devices (systems), and computer program products according to embodiments of the present invention. It should be understood that each process and / or block in the flowcharts and / or block diagrams, as well as combinations of processes and / or blocks in the flowcharts and / or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions can be provided to a processor of a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, an embedded processor, or other programmable data processing device to produce a machine, so that the instructions executed by the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing device generate instructions for implementing the processes in the flowcharts and / or block diagrams. Figure 1 a process or multiple processes and / or boxes Figure 1 A system that specifies the functions of a box or boxes.

[0082] These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer-readable memory that can direct a computer or other programmable data processing device to work in a specific manner, so that the instructions stored in the computer-readable memory produce an article of manufacture including an instruction system that is implemented in the process. Figure 1 a process or multiple processes and / or boxes Figure 1 The function specified in one or more boxes.

[0083] These computer program instructions can also be loaded onto a computer or other programmable data processing device so that a series of operational steps are executed on the computer or other programmable device to produce a computer-implemented process, thereby providing the instructions executed on the computer or other programmable device for implementing the process. Figure 1 a process or multiple processes and / or boxes Figure 1 The steps for the function specified in one or more boxes.

[0084] The above embodiments are merely exemplary embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. The scope of protection of the present invention is defined by the claims. Those skilled in the art may make various modifications or equivalent substitutions to the present invention within the spirit and scope of protection of the present invention, and such modifications or equivalent substitutions shall also be deemed to fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A digital microfluidic chip driving system, characterized in that: include: Drive circuit, including voltage source, power relay and independently replaceable solid-state relay; a digital microfluidic chip connected to the power relay; as well as A main control development board is connected to the solid-state relay in the drive circuit, the solid-state relay is also connected to the power relay, and the power relay is also connected to the voltage source. The main control development board uses multiple ports to output target levels to the solid-state relay through cross-addressing to control the opening and closing of the solid-state relay, and controls the digital microfluidic chip by controlling the opening of the solid-state relay when the solid-state relay outputs the target voltage.

2. The digital microfluidic chip driving system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The driving circuit further includes a light emitting diode connected to the main control development board and the solid-state relay, and the light emitting diode is used to monitor whether the solid-state relay is operating normally.

3. The digital microfluidic chip driving system according to claim 2, characterized in that: The solid-state relay includes an LED lamp and a field-effect transistor; The power relay includes an electromagnetic coil and a mechanical contact system; The main control development board and the power relay have an output normally closed end, and the output normally closed end and the top plate of the digital microfluidic chip are both grounded.

4. The digital microfluidic chip driving system according to claim 3, characterized in that: The anode of the light-emitting diode is connected to the main control development board, the cathode of the light-emitting diode is connected to the anode of the LED lamp, the cathode of the LED lamp is connected to the main control development board, the input end of the field effect transistor is connected to the main control development board, the output end of the field effect transistor is connected to one end of the electromagnetic coil, the other end of the electromagnetic coil is grounded, the normally open end of the mechanical contact system is connected to the output end of the voltage source, the normally closed end of the mechanical contact system is grounded, and the common end of the mechanical contact system is connected to the corresponding electrode sheet on the digital microfluidic chip; The voltage source is used to provide DC or AC voltage to the mechanical contact system, thereby powering the drive circuit, main control development board and digital microfluidic chip, thereby driving the droplets on the digital microfluidic chip to move along a specified path.

5. The digital microfluidic chip driving system according to claim 1, characterized in that: There are multiple drive circuits, and / or each drive circuit includes multiple power relays and solid-state relays. The main control development board uses multiple ports to output high or low levels to multiple solid-state relays through cross-addressing to achieve switching control of multiple solid-state relays.

6. The digital microfluidic chip driving system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The digital microfluidic chip comprises: An upper substrate and a lower base are relatively spaced apart; a lower conductive layer disposed on a side of the lower substrate facing the upper substrate, and an upper conductive layer disposed on a side of the upper substrate facing the lower substrate; a dielectric layer disposed on the lower substrate and covering the lower conductive layer; a lower hydrophobic layer disposed on the surface of the dielectric layer, and an upper hydrophobic layer disposed on the surface of the upper conductive layer; A gasket is provided between the upper hydrophobic layer and the lower hydrophobic layer for providing a supporting force.

7. The digital microfluidic chip driving system according to claim 6, characterized in that: The lower conductive layer is composed of one or more electrode sheets. When there are multiple driving circuits, there are multiple electrode sheets distributed in an array on the lower conductive layer. The multiple electrode sheets are connected to the driving circuits in a one-to-one correspondence.

8. A driving method, characterized in that: Applied to the digital microfluidic chip driving system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, the method comprises: The main control development board determines the electrode control requirements of the digital microfluidic chip to drive the droplets, and inputs a high-level signal and a low-level signal to the anode and cathode of the solid-state relay in the driving circuit respectively according to the electrode control requirements to turn on the solid-state relay; The solid-state relay conducts a connection between the voltage source and the digital microfluidic chip, and controls the power relay to turn on based on the target voltage provided by the main control development board; The voltage source provides corresponding voltage to the digital microfluidic chip according to the voltage type and magnitude requirements of the digital microfluidic chip for driving droplets.

9. The driving method according to claim 8, wherein: The step of inputting a high level signal and a low level signal to the anode and cathode of the solid-state relay in the driving circuit respectively according to the electrode control requirement includes: The main control development board inputs a high level signal and a low level signal to the anode and cathode of the LED lamp in the solid-state relay respectively according to the electrode control requirements; The method further comprises: The solid-state relay receives the light-emitting signal of the LED through the internal field-effect transistor, and transmits the input terminal voltage of the field-effect transistor to the output terminal to realize output control.

10. The driving method according to claim 9, wherein: The method further comprises: The power relay applies voltage to both ends of the electromagnetic coil inside the power relay to conduct the common end and the normally open end of the mechanical contact system inside the power relay, and the normally open end is connected to the voltage source at the same time.

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