Authors:
A. S. Moita
;
F. Jacinto
and
A. L. N. Moreira
Affiliation:
Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal
Keyword(s):
Lab-on-a-chip, Droplet based Microfluidics, Clinical Diagnostics, Chip Design and Test, Experimental and Numerical Approaches.
Abstract:
Despite the intensive research performed towards the development of biomicrofuidic devices, information on the design, test and microfabrication of the devices is scarcely reported. Following our previous work, this paper describes the design, microfabrication and test of an electrowetting chip to transport and manipulate biosamples, towards the development of a microfluidic device for cancer diagnostics. As a first approach, experiments are performed to infer on the basic chip dimensions and configuration (size and positioning of the electrodes), allowing its best performance, evaluated based on droplet dynamics (spreading/receding diameter and contact line velocity). Then, to scale down this section, for its proper integration in the device, these basic dimensions are introduced as first guess values in a numerical model, used to optimize the distance between the electrodes, the thickness of the dielectric and the electric potential and frequency to be applied.