A dielectrophoresis-based microchannel system

作者：Zhao X X; Gao Y; Huang J P^*

来源：Journal of Applied Physics, 2009, 105(6): 064510.

DOI：10.1063/1.3093919

• computational fluid dynamics
• drag
• electrophoresis
• microchannel flow
• microelectrodes
• random number generation
• stochastic processes

In this paper, we will propose a dielectrophoresis-based microchannel system. Based on numerical calculations and theoretical analysis, we investigate the dynamic behaviors of a microparticle in this system, in the presence of nonuniform electric fields generated by point microelectrodes. Good agreement is shown between them. It is found that the microelectrodes enable the system equilibrium to shift between monostable and bistable states. Further, we reveal that the microparticle can oscillate along the microchannel with a fixed period for the ideal case without a drag force, and that it can be located in either monostable or bistable states for the cases with drag forces. In view of these findings, we carefully address the possibility to design several microfluidic devices, namely, a microparticulate clock for timing, a binary random number generator for conducting stochastic calculations, and a flip-flop device for system memory.

• 出版日期2009-3-15
• 单位复旦大学