Method and apparatus for programmable fluidic processing
A method and apparatus for microfluidic processing by programmably manipulating a packet. A material is introduced onto a reaction surface and compartmentalized to form a packet. A position of the packet is sensed with a position sensor. A programmable manipulation force is applied to the packet at the position. The programmable manipulation force is adjustable according to packet position by a controller. The packet is programmably moved according to the programmable manipulation force along arbitrarily chosen paths.
1. A device to manipulate at least one fluid packet, comprising:
a reaction surface; and
an array of electrodes operably coupled to the reaction surface and adapted to generate electrical field distributions to impart manipulation forces on at least one fluid packet disposed proximate the reaction surface, the array of electrodes including separate independently-addressable sets of electrodes to move the at least one fluid packet about the reaction surface along at least one selectively programmable path in at least two dimensions;
where the reaction surface is an integrated circuit.
2. The device of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the sets of electrodes comprises a single electrode.
3. The device of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the sets of electrodes comprises a plurality of electrodes.
4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the array of electrodes is further adapted to merge the at least one fluid packet with at least one additional fluid packet.
5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the array of electrodes is further adapted to perform at least one function selected from mixing or splitting the at least one fluid packet.
6. The device of claim 1 , wherein each electrode of the array of electrodes is individually addressable.
7. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a partitioning medium in which the at least one fluid packet can be suspended.
8. The device of claim 1 , further comprising at least one of a dielectric coating or a hydrophobic coating covering the array of electrodes.
9. The device of claim 1 , wherein spacing of the electrodes of the array of electrodes is smaller than a diameter of the at least one fluid packet.
10. A system to manipulate at least one fluid packet, comprising:
a device comprising:
a reaction surface, and
an array of electrodes operably coupled to the reaction surface and adapted to generate electrical field distributions to impart manipulation forces on at least one fluid packet disposed proximate the reaction surface, the array of electrodes including separate independently-addressable sets of electrodes; and
a controller coupled to the array of electrodes and adapted to independently address at least one of the sets of electrodes to generate electrical field distributions to impart manipulation forces on the at least one fluid packet to move the at least one fluid packet about the reaction surface along at least one selectively programmable path in at least two dimensions;
where the reaction surface is an integrated circuit.
11. The system of claim 10 , wherein at least one of the sets of electrodes comprises a single electrode.
12. The system of claim 10 , wherein at least one of the sets of electrodes comprises a plurality of electrodes.
13. The system of claim 10 , wherein the controller is further adapted to independently address the at least one of the sets of electrodes to merge the at least one fluid packet with at least one additional fluid packet.
14. The system of claim 10 , wherein the controller is further adapted to independently address the at least one of the sets of electrodes to perform at least one function selected from mixing or splitting the at least one fluid packet.
15. The system of claim 10 , wherein each electrode of the array of electrodes is individually addressable.
16. The system of claim 10 , further comprising a partitioning medium in which the at least one fluid packet can be suspended.
17. The system of claim 10 , wherein the device further comprises at least one of a dielectric coating or a hydrophobic coating covering the array of electrodes.
18. The system of claim 10 , wherein spacing of the electrodes of the array of electrodes is smaller than a diameter of the at least one fluid packet.
19. A method to manipulate at least one fluid packet, comprising:
providing a device comprising:
a reaction surface, and
an array of electrodes operably coupled to the reaction surface and adapted to generate electrical field distributions to impart manipulation forces on at least one fluid packet disposed proximate the reaction surface, the array of electrodes including separate independently-addressable sets of electrodes;
where the reaction surface is an integrated circuit;
disposing at least one fluid packet proximate the reaction surface; and
generating electrical field distributions by independently addressing at least one of the sets of electrodes to generate electrical field distributions to impart manipulation forces on the at least one fluid packet to move the at least one fluid packet about the reaction surface along at least one selectively programmable path in at least two dimensions.
20. The method of claim 19 , wherein at least one of the sets of electrodes comprises a single electrode.
21. The method of claim 19 , wherein at least one of the sets of electrodes comprises a plurality of electrodes.
22. The method of claim 19 , further comprising merging the at least one fluid packet with at least one additional fluid packet.
23. The method of claim 19 , further comprising performing at least one function selected from mixing or splitting the at least one fluid packet.
24. The method of claim 19 , wherein each electrode of the array of electrodes is individually addressable.
25. The method of claim 19 , further comprising a partitioning medium in which the at least one fluid packet can be suspended.
26. The method of claim 19 , wherein the device further comprises at least one of a dielectric coating or a hydrophobic coating covering the array of electrodes.
27. The method of claim 19 , wherein spacing of the electrodes of the array of electrodes is smaller than a diameter of the at least one fluid packet.