Wave guide with isolated coupling interface
A wave-guide having an isolated coupling interface. In one variation, a constant negative pressure is maintained around the area surrounding the wave-guide. Coupling liquid may be directed to the tip of the wave-guide to provide the coupling interface between the wave-guide and a source fluid container. The suction from the constant negative pressure may remove excess coupling liquid and isolating the coupling liquid to the area around the tip of the wave-guide. The wave-guide assembly may also include mechanisms for adjusting the volume of fluid at the tip of the wave-guide. When the position of the wave-guide is displaced, fluid compensation mechanism may increase or decrease the volume of fluids at the distal end of the wave-guide to maintain proper coupling between the wave-guide and the source fluid container. Methods for utilizing negative pressure around the distal end of the wave-guide to isolate the coupling liquid are also described.
1. A method of isolating a coupling liquid at a tip of an acoustic wave-guide comprising the steps of:
supplying a volume of the coupling liquid for coupling the acoustic wave-guide with a fluid containment structure; and
localizing the coupling liquid to a distal end of said acoustic wave-guide;
wherein localizing the coupling liquid comprises maintaining a suction in an area surrounding the distal end of said acoustic wave-guide, the suction capturing and removing excess coupling liquid; and
wherein the supplying step comprises supplying a continuous flow of coupling liquid to the distal end of said wave-guide.
2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
compensating for a vertical motion of said wave-guide by adjusting the volume of the coupling liquid simultaneously with movement of the wave-guide.
3. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:
positioning the fluid containment structure above said wave-guide such that said coupling liquid is positioned between said wave-guide and said fluid containment structure, and said coupling liquid contacts said wave-guide and said fluid containment structure, wherein said fluid containment structure has a source fluid contained within said structure.
4. The method of claim 3 further comprising the step of:
propagating an acoustic wave through said wave-guide, said coupling liquid, said source fluid containment structure and into said source fluid.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein the localizing step comprises maintaining the suction as a continuous suction in the area surrounding the distal end of said wave-guide.
6. The method of claim 4 wherein the fluid containment structure comprises a structure having a plurality of wells, and at least two of the wells contain source fluids.
7. The method of claim 4 wherein the propagating step further comprises:
adjusting the position of the wave-guide in a vertical direction;
adjusting the volume of the coupling liquid between said wave-guide and said fluid containment structure such that the coupling liquid maintains contact with both the wave-guide and the bottom surface of said fluid containment structure; and
propagating an acoustic wave through said wave-guide, said coupling liquid, said fluid containment structure and into said source fluid.
8. The method of claim 7 wherein the steps of adjusting the position of the wave-guide and adjusting the volume of the coupling liquid occurs simultaneously.
9. The method of claim 6 further comprising the steps of:
moving the position of the source fluid containment structure laterally so that a second well is positioned above the wave-guide, said second well having a second source fluid; and
propagating an acoustic wave through said wave-guide, said coupling liquid, said fluid containment structure and into said second source fluid.
10. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
adjusting the position of the wave-guide in a vertical direction; and
adjusting the volume of the coupling liquid between said wave-guide and said fluid containment structure such that the coupling liquid maintains contact with both the wave-guide and the fluid containment structure.
11. The method of claim 10 wherein the steps of adjusting the position of the wave-guide and adjusting the volume of the coupling liquid occurs simultaneously.
12. The method of claim 4 , wherein the acoustic wave is of sufficient intensity and strength to eject a portion of said source fluid.