Microsystem for the dielectric and optical manipulation of particles

1. A fluidic microsystem comprising:

at least one compartment for receiving and/or passing through of a liquid, wherein the compartment includes at least one wall through which electromagnetic radiation can be linked into a coaction zone corresponding to a predetermined incident direction of a beam of the electromagnetic radiation;

an electrode arrangement including at least one electrode, wherein the electrode arrangement defines the coaction zone; and

a cooling apparatus provided on the at least one electrode, wherein the cooling apparatus comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of:

at least one reflector layer adapted to at least partially shield the at least one electrode from the beam;

at least one heat conducting layer through which the at least one electrode stands in thermal communication with a wall of the compartment; and

an active cooling element in direct contact with the at least one electrode.

2. The microsystem of claim 1 , wherein the reflector layer comprises the at least one electrode, and at least one of the following: (a) at least one covering layer on a side of the at least one electrode proximal to the compartment; (b) at least one base layer on a side of the at least one electrode proximal to a wall of the compartment; (c) at least one interior layer on a wall of the compartment; and (d) an external layer.

3. The microsystem of claim 2 , wherein the at least one covering layer or the at least one base layer has the same shape as the at least one electrode in a projection direction parallel to the incident direction of the beam.

4. The microsystem of claim 2 , wherein the at least one interior layer or the external layer forms a mask, which is at least as large as the at least one electrode in a projection direction parallel to the incident radiation direction of the beam.

5. The microsystem of claim 1 , wherein the at least one reflector layer comprises a metal or a metal alloy with a reflection coefficient in an infrared spectral range, the reflection coefficient being at least as large as an infrared reflection coefficient of copper, aluminum or gold.

6. The microsystem of claim 5 , wherein the at least one electrode comprises indium-tin-oxide (ITO).

7. The microsystem of claim 1 , wherein the at least one reflector layer comprises at least one dielectric layer or gradient layer with a reflection coefficient in an infrared spectral range, the reflection coefficient being at least as large as an infrared reflection coefficient of copper, aluminum or gold.

8. The microsystem of claim 1 , wherein the at least one electrode comprises a material transparent in an infrared spectral range.

9. The microsystem of claim 1 , wherein a light source having a fixed beam direction adjustable relative to the coaction zone is placed outside of the compartment.

10. The microsystem of claim 9 , wherein the light source is an infrared laser.

11. A process for manipulating and/or analyzing a sample with electrical forces in a fluidic microsystem, said process comprising:

providing a microsystem of claim 1 ;

providing the sample in the at least one compartment of the microsystem; and

applying the electrical forces to the sample to manipulate and/or analyze the sample.

12. The process of claim 11 , wherein the sample comprises DNA or protein.

13. The process of claim 11 , wherein the sample comprises a biological cell.

14. The process of claim 11 , wherein the sample is analyzed as a step in a materials research study or a combinatorial chemistry study.