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A novel method to construct 3D electrodes at the sidewall of microfluidic channel

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Abstract

We report a simple, low-cost and novel method for constructing three-dimensional (3D) microelectrodes in microfluidic system by utilizing low melting point metal alloy. Three-dimensional electrodes have unique properties in application of cell lysis, electro-osmosis, electroporation and dielectrophoresis. The fabrication process involves conventional photolithography and sputtering techniques to fabricate planar electrodes, positioning bismuth (Bi) alloy microspheres at the sidewall of PDMS channel, plasma bonding and low temperature annealing to improve electrical connection between metal microspheres and planar electrodes. Compared to other fabrication methods for 3D electrodes, the presented one does not require rigorous experimental conditions, cumbersome processes and expensive equipments. Numerical analysis on electric field distribution with different electrode configurations was presented to verify the unique field distribution of arc-shaped electrodes. The application of 3D electrode configuration with high-conductive alloy microspheres was confirmed by particle manipulation based on dielectrophoresis. The proposed technique offers alternatives to construct 3D electrodes from 2D electrodes. More importantly, the simplicity of the fabrication process provides easy ways to fabricate electrodes fast with arc-shaped geometry at the sidewall of microchannel.

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Acknowledgments

This work is supported by Hong Kong RGC grant 604710 and 605411, respectively.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong

    Shunbo Li & Weijia Wen

  2. School of Mechanical, Materials and Mechatronic Engineering, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, 2522, Australia

    Ming Li & Weihua Li

  3. Nano Science and Technology Program and Department of Physics, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong

    Yu Sanna Hui, Wenbin Cao & Weijia Wen

Authors
  1. Shunbo Li
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  2. Ming Li
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  3. Yu Sanna Hui
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  4. Wenbin Cao
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  5. Weihua Li
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  6. Weijia Wen
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Correspondence to Weihua Li or Weijia Wen.

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Li, S., Li, M., Hui, Y.S. et al. A novel method to construct 3D electrodes at the sidewall of microfluidic channel. Microfluid Nanofluid 14, 499–508 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10404-012-1068-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10404-012-1068-6

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