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Electrostatic force calculation for an EWOD-actuated droplet

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Abstract

This paper examines the electrostatic force on a microdroplet transported via electrowetting on dielectric (EWOD). In contrast with previous publications, this article details the force distribution on the advancing and receding fluid faces, in addition to presenting simple algebraic formulae for the net force in terms of system parameters. Dependence of the force distribution and its integral on system geometry, droplet location, and material properties is described. The consequences of these theoretically and numerically obtained results for design and fabrication of EWOD devices are considered.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to acknowledge partial funding under AFOSR Contract No. FA9550-05-1-0334 and NSF Contract No. CTS-05-40004 to K.M.

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  1. University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, CO, 80309-0429, USA

    E. Baird, P. Young & K. Mohseni

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  1. E. Baird
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  2. P. Young
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  3. K. Mohseni
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Correspondence to K. Mohseni.

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Baird, E., Young, P. & Mohseni, K. Electrostatic force calculation for an EWOD-actuated droplet. Microfluid Nanofluid 3, 635–644 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10404-006-0147-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10404-006-0147-y

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