Fluid oscillations on structured surfaces
View Patent ↗A device comprising a substrate having a surface that comprises a conductive base layer. The device also comprises fluid-support-structures on the conductive base layer. Each of the fluid-support-structures has at least one dimension of about 1 millimeter or less. Each of the fluid-support-structures is coated with an electrical insulator. The device is configured to oscillate a fluid locatable between tops of the fluid-support-structures and the conductive base layer when a voltage is applied between the conductive base layer and the fluid.
1. A device comprising:
a substrate having a surface that comprises a conductive base layer; and
fluid-support-structures on said conductive base layer, wherein each of said fluid-support-structures have at least one dimension of about 1 millimeter or less, each of said fluid-support-structures is coated with an electrical insulator and each of said fluid-support-structures comprises a cell and said at least one dimension is a lateral thickness of a wall of said cell; and
an alternating voltage source configured to oscillate a fluid locatable between tops of said fluid-support-structures and said conductive base layer, wherein said alternating voltage source is connected to apply a voltage between said conductive base layer and said fluid.
2. The device of claim 1 , wherein said electrical insulator comprises a first insulator on tops of said fluid-support-structures and a second insulator on sides of said fluid-support-structures.
3. The device of claim 1 , wherein each of said fluid-support-structures comprise silicon and said electrical insulator comprises silicon oxide.
4. The device of claim 1 , wherein said conductive base layer comprises a metal silicide.
5. The device of claim 1 , wherein said sample-support-structures and said conductive base layer comprises a low-surface-energy layer.
6. The device of claim 1 , wherein said conductive base layer has an inner layer comprising a conductive layer and an outer layer comprising a fluorinated polymer.
7. The device of claim 1 , wherein each of said fluid-support-structures comprises a post and said one dimension is a lateral thickness of said post.
8. The device of claim 1 , wherein said electrical source is configured to apply a series of voltage pulses between said conductive base layer and said fluid locatable on said fluid-support-structures, said voltage ranging from about 10 to about 50 volts.
9. The device of claim 1 , wherein said device is configured to oscillate said fluid between tops of said fluid-support-structures and said conductive base layer at an oscillation frequency in the range of about 1 to about 100 Hertz.