Micro-drop Displacement Device Using Electric Fields
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for displacing and controlling conductive micro-drops between substrates in different planes face challenges such as technological complexity, contamination risks, and limited reusability, especially in biological and chemical protocols, due to large drop/substrate contact areas and difficulties in cleaning and aligning multiple substrates.
Innovation Solution
A device utilizing electrical forces between two substrates with conductive means, allowing for reversible displacement of micro-drops without contact during transfer, using dielectric layers to minimize contamination and enable controlled contact duration, and incorporating temperature control and detection features for functionalized substrates.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a drop is confined between two wafers with large contact surface area, then vertical displacement control is achieved, but contamination risk and biocompatibility problems increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the drop from continuous contact with solid substrates by introducing a liquid carrier medium. The drop is suspended in the liquid medium between two wafers, allowing vertical displacement control through electric field manipulation while minimizing harmful contact with solid surfaces. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining control reliability through electric field confinement while reducing contamination risk through reduced solid-liquid contact area.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces a liquid carrier medium as an intermediary between the drop and the wafer surfaces. This liquid intermediary allows the drop to be manipulated vertically between wafers without direct contact with the solid substrates, thereby maintaining precise displacement control while significantly reducing contamination and biocompatibility issues associated with large contact surface areas.
2Adaptability or versatility
If three levels of substrates are implemented for 3D drop displacement, then spatial control is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention utilizes the vertical dimension (z-axis) by suspending the drop in a liquid carrier medium between two wafers. Electric fields applied perpendicular to the wafer surfaces enable controlled vertical displacement of the drop, achieving 3D spatial control without requiring complex multi-level substrate structures. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining adaptability through vertical manipulation while simplifying device structure.
3Ease of operation
If a wire is used to deform the electric field for vertical drop displacement, then drop transfer between planes is achieved, but drop reusability is lost due to wetting
Solution Approach 1:
The invention introduces a liquid carrier medium as an intermediary that prevents direct wetting contact between the drop and the wire or substrate surfaces during transfer. The drop remains suspended in the liquid medium, allowing it to be transferred between planes and reused without contamination or wetting losses. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining ease of operation through electric field-mediated transfer while preserving drop reusability.
4Adaptability or versatility
If multiple substrates are used for drop displacement, then functional versatility is improved, but alignment difficulty and cleaning complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges multiple substrate functions into a single wafer-liquid medium-wafer configuration. The liquid carrier medium serves as a universal medium for drop manipulation, eliminating the need for complex multi-substrate assemblies. This reduces alignment difficulties and simplifies cleaning procedures while maintaining functional versatility through electric field-controlled drop manipulation in the liquid medium.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables efficient, contamination-minimized, and reusable displacement of micro-drops between substrates, reducing protocol time and maintaining biocompatibility, with rapid and precise control over drop positioning and temperature changes, suitable for various chemical and biological applications.
Implementation Method 1
a displacement of conductive micro-drops in a liquid, dielectric or weakly dielectric medium and not miscible with the drops, by means of electro-hydrodynamic forces, between two or several positions that may correspond to specific contact zones on solid substrates
Implementation Method 2
comprising first electrically conductive means, and a second substrate, comprising second electrically conductive means, and means for inducing a reversible displacement of a volume of liquid, from the first means to the second electrically conductive means, without contact with said conductive means during the displacement
Data Source
AI summary
A device for reversibly displacing at least one volume of liquid under the effect of an electrical control, including first electrically conductive device, second electrically conductive device, and a device for inducing a reversible displacement of a volume of liquid, from the first to the second electrically conductive devices, without contact with the conductive device during the displacement.