Microfluidic device and system
Embodiments for sorting particles are provided that include a microfluidic channel configured to receive a microfluidic flow that comprises a plurality of particles having different characteristics, the microfluidic channel having a plurality of output flow channels, a first detector configured to detect the location of the particles, a plurality of actuators located along the direction of the microfluidic flow and defining a sorting electrode arrangement. The microfluidic device further comprises a controller configured to receive signals from the first detector and to provide force field profiles for each of the plurality of particles, wherein each force field profile comprises a plurality of deflection force settings along the direction of the microfluidic flow. The controller individually addresses the plurality of actuators to generate a plurality of actuation inducing fields along the direction of the microfluidic flow to generate the deflection force settings in the force field profiles.
1 . A microfluidic device for sorting particles comprising:
a microfluidic channel configured to receive a microfluidic flow that comprises a plurality of particles having different characteristics, wherein the microfluidic channel has a plurality of output flow channels;
a first detector configured to detect the location of the particles;
a plurality of actuators located along the direction of the microfluidic flow and defining a sorting electrode arrangement, wherein the plurality of actuators comprise a first conductive pillar array inside the microfluidic channel; and
a controller configured to receive signals from the first detector and to provide force field profiles for each of the plurality of particles,
wherein each force field profile comprises a plurality of deflection force settings along the direction of the microfluidic flow,
wherein the controller is additionally configured to, based on the provided force field profiles, individually address each conductive pillar within the plurality of actuators to generate a plurality of actuation inducing fields along the direction of the microfluidic flow,
wherein the actuation inducing fields are configured to generate the deflection force settings in the force field profiles,
wherein the plurality of the force field profiles are different for each different particle and are provided to direct each particle in a gradual manner within the sorting electrode arrangement, and
wherein the controller is additionally configured to gradually direct at least two different particles simultaneously within the sorting electrode arrangement.
2 . The microfluidic device of claim 1 , wherein deflection directions of all the deflection force settings in the same force field profile have the same polarity.
3 . The microfluidic device of claim 1 , further comprising a second detector, wherein the controller is additionally configured to use the second detector to determine the force field profiles for each of the plurality of particles.
4 . The microfluidic device of claim 1 , wherein the actuation inducing fields are dielectrophoretic electric fields, and wherein the force field profiles are electric field gradient profiles.
5 . The microfluidic device of claim 4 , wherein the controller is configured to direct at least a first particle according to a first force field profile and to direct a second particle according to a second force field profile, wherein each force field profile comprises a first deflection force setting and a second deflection force setting, wherein the controller simultaneously generates the first deflection force setting by a first actuation inducing field according to the second force field profile for the second particle and the second deflection force setting by a second actuation inducing field according to the first force field profile for the first particle, and wherein the controller is configured to individually and dynamically adjust the plurality of actuation inducing fields based on the location of the first and second particle.
6 . The microfluidic device of claim 1 , wherein the first conductive pillar array is adjacent to a first wall.
7 . The microfluidic device of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of actuators comprise a second conductive pillar array inside the microfluidic channel, and wherein the second conductive pillar array is adjacent to a second wall opposed to the first wall.
8 . The microfluidic device of claim 7 , wherein a height of conductive pillars of the first and second conductive pillar arrays is at least 80% of a height of the wall.
9 . The microfluidic device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of actuators comprise a first actuator array located on a first side of a wall and a second actuator array located on a second side of the same wall, wherein a length of each actuator of the first actuator array is shorter than half of a width of the wall.
10 . The microfluidic device of claim 1 , wherein a width of the actuators used for generating a subsequent actuation inducing field is equal to or shorter than a width of the actuators used for generating a first actuation inducing field.
11 . The microfluidic device of claim 1 , further comprising a pair of centralizing electrodes configured to preset an entry point of the particles before the particles arrive at the sorting electrode arrangement.
12 . The microfluidic device of claim 4 , wherein the actuators are connected to at least one of a DC voltage source or an AC voltage source.
13 . A particle processing device comprising a microfluidic device that comprises:
a microfluidic channel configured to receive a microfluidic flow that comprises a plurality of particles having different characteristics, wherein the microfluidic channel has a plurality of output flow channels;
a first detector configured to detect the location of the particles;
a plurality of actuators located along the direction of the microfluidic flow and defining a sorting electrode arrangement, wherein the plurality of actuators comprise a first conductive pillar array inside the microfluidic channel; and
a controller configured to receive signals from the first detector and to provide force field profiles for each of the plurality of particles,
wherein each force field profile comprises a plurality of deflection force settings along the direction of the microfluidic flow,
wherein the controller is additionally configured to, based on the provided force field profiles, individually address each conductive pillar within the plurality of actuators to generate a plurality of actuation inducing fields along the direction of the microfluidic flow,
wherein the actuation inducing fields are configured to generate the deflection force settings in the force field profiles,
wherein the plurality of the force field profiles are different for each different particle and are provided to direct each particle in a gradual manner within the sorting electrode arrangement, and
wherein the controller is additionally configured to gradually direct at least two different particles simultaneously within the sorting electrode arrangement.