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Separation of micro-particles utilizing spatial difference of optically induced dielectrophoretic forces

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Abstract

This paper presents new methods to accurately separate micro-particles with different sizes using optically induced dielectrophoretic (ODEP) forces. It is found that the strength of the ODEP force induced on the hydrogenated amorphous silicon surface is determined by the color, line-width and intensity of the optical beams, which provide an innovative design for particle separation. Two linear-segment virtual electrodes which produced the ODEP forces were firstly defined by illuminating lights onto a photoconductive chip. One moving line and one stationary illuminated line were used to generate a stronger and a weaker ODEP force, respectively. The micro-particles were then continuously pushed forward by the stronger ODEP force. As these lines approached each other, larger micro-particles entrained by the higher ODEP forces were squeezed through the stationary electrode and subsequently separated from the smaller particles. With this approach, continuous particle separation can be automatically achieved within a few seconds. This developed method may be promising for a variety of applications such as cell-based assays and sample pretreatment using micro-particles.

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Abbreviations

AC:

Alternating current

CCD:

Charge-coupled device

CM:

Clausius–Mossotti

DEP:

Dielectrophoretic

DI:

Deionized

DNA:

Deoxyribonucleic acid

FBS:

Fetal bovine serum

IPCE:

Incident photon-to-current conversion efficiency

ITO:

Indium-tin-oxide

LCD:

Liquid crystal display

MEMS:

Microelectromechanical system

ODEP:

Optically induced dielectrophoretic

OET:

Optoelectronic tweezers

PECVD:

Plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition

E :

Electric field strength

r :

Radius of the spherical particle

v :

Terminal velocity of the spherical beads

ε m :

Electrical permittivity of the surrounding buffer

η :

Dynamic viscosity of the fluid

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Chi-Mei Optoelectronics Inc. for their financial support from grant number (96S036). Partial financial support provided to this study by the National Science Council of Taiwan is also greatly appreciated. Authors also thank Dr T.F. Guo for valuable discussion.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Engineering Science, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, 701, Taiwan

    Wang-Ying Lin, Yen-Heng Lin & Gwo-Bin Lee

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  1. Wang-Ying Lin
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  2. Yen-Heng Lin
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  3. Gwo-Bin Lee
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Correspondence to Gwo-Bin Lee.

Additional information

Preliminary data of the study has been published in Proceedings of IEEE MEMS 2009, Sorrento, Italy.

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Lin, WY., Lin, YH. & Lee, GB. Separation of micro-particles utilizing spatial difference of optically induced dielectrophoretic forces. Microfluid Nanofluid 8, 217–229 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10404-009-0457-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10404-009-0457-y

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