Dielectrophoretic Particle Manipulation in Ridged Microchannels

Abstract

This work presents continuous-flow particle sorting at low applied fields (30 V/cm) using electrodeless dielectrophoresis [2–7] in ridged polymeric microstructures. Particle manipulation and sorting is critical in analysis of cellular systems and subpopulations, water monitoring, soil analysis, and colloidal synthesis. This technique is developed with a view toward sorting of cellular systems, and offers advantages over other particle processing techniques in its ability to sort particles over small (~100 μm) spatial scales and rapid (<1s) time scales while operating under the low electric fields required when using solutions of physiological salinity.