Micro-chemical mixing
View Patent ↗A device comprising, a substrate having a droplet thereover, and an electrical source coupleable to the substrate. The electrical source is configured to apply a voltage between the substrate and the droplet using an electrode. The electrode has a first portion and a second portion non-symmetric to the first portion, the first and second portions defined by a plane located normal to a longitudinal axis and through a midpoint of a length of the electrode.
1. A device, comprising:
a substrate;
a droplet of liquid resting on a surface of the substrate;
an electrical source electrically connected to apply a voltage between the substrate and an electrode in contact with the droplet, wherein:
the electrode has a length portion with a longitudinal axis that is normal to a plane parallel to the surface of the substrate,
the voltage applied across the droplet causes the droplet to physically deform in a direction normal to the surface of the substrate, and
the electrode further includes a second portion in contact with the droplet and shaped as a helix.
2. A device, comprising:
a substrate;
a droplet of liquid resting on a surface of the substrate;
an electrical source electrically connected to apply a voltage between the substrate and an electrode in contact with the droplet, wherein:
the electrode has a length portion with a longitudinal axis that is normal to a plane parallel to the surface of the substrate,
the voltage applied across the droplet causes the droplet to physically deform in a direction normal to the surface of the substrate, and
the electrode further includes a second portion in contact with the droplet and shaped as an inverted T.
3. A device, comprising:
a substrate;
a droplet of liquid resting on a surface of the substrate;
an electrical source electrically connected to apply a voltage between the substrate and an electrode in contact with the droplet, wherein:
the electrode has a length portion with a longitudinal axis that is normal to a plane parallel to the surface of the substrate,
the voltage applied across the droplet causes the droplet to physically deform in a direction normal to the surface of the substrate, and
the electrode further includes a second portion in contact with the droplet and shaped as an L.
4. A device, comprising:
a substrate;
a droplet of liquid resting on a surface of the substrate;
an electrical source electrically connected to apply a voltage between the substrate and an electrode in contact with the droplet, wherein:
the electrode has a length portion with a longitudinal axis that is normal to a plane parallel to the surface of the substrate,
the voltage applied across the droplet causes the droplet to physically deform in a direction normal to the surface of the substrate, and
the electrode further includes a second portion in contact with the droplet and shaped as a disk.
5. A device, comprising:
a substrate;
a droplet of liquid resting on a surface of the substrate;
an electrical source electrically connected to apply a voltage between the substrate and an electrode in contact with the droplet, wherein:
the electrode has a length portion with a longitudinal axis that is normal to a plane parallel to the surface of the substrate,
the voltage applied across the droplet causes the droplet to physically deform in a direction normal to the surface of the substrate, and
wherein the electrode further includes a second portion in contact with the droplet and shaped as a propeller.
6. A device, comprising:
a substrate;
a droplet of liquid resting on a surface of the substrate;
an electrical source electrically connected to apply a voltage between the substrate and an electrode in contact with the droplet, wherein:
the electrode has a length portion with a longitudinal axis that is normal to a plane parallel to the surface of the substrate,
the voltage applied across the droplet causes the droplet to physically deform in a direction normal to the surface of the substrate, and
the length portion of the electrode is configured as a hollow needle.
7. The device as recited in claim 6 , wherein the hollow needle includes a plurality of different channels to provide different chemical species.
8. The device as recited in claim 6 , wherein the substrate, the electrical source and the electrode are part of the device configured as a diagnostic device.