title: High-throughput dielectrophoretic manipulation of bioparticles within fluids through biocompatible three-dimensional microelectrode array.
abstract: Dielectrophoresis (DEP) has been deemed as a potential and ideal solution for bioparticle manipulation. A 3-D carbon micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) fabricated from the latest developed carbon-MEMS approach has advantages of offering low-cost, biocompatible and high-throughput DEP manipulation for bioparticles. In this paper, a typical process for fabrication of various 3-D microelectrode configurations was demonstrated; accurate numerical analysis was presented on electric field gradient distribution and DEP force based on various microelectrode array configurations. The effects of electrode edge angle, electrode edge-to-edge spacing and electrode height on the electric field distributions were investigated, and optimal design considerations and rules were concluded through analysis of results. The outcomes demonstrate that the sharp edge electrode is more effective in DEP manipulation and both electrode edge-to-edge spacing and electrode height are critical design parameters for seeking optimal DEP manipulation. The gradient magnitude increases exponentially as the electrode spacing is reduced and the electric field extends significantly as the electrode height increases, both of which contribute to a higher throughput for DEP manipulation. These findings are consistent with experimental observations in the literature and will provide critical guidelines for optimal design of DEP devices with 3-D carbon-MEMS.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Digital Manufacturing Equipment and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, PR China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Tielin
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Zirong
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Shiyuan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Rizwan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Malik
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D004586:Electrophoresis / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D004867:Equipment Design; D057166:High-Throughput Screening Assays / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D055617:Micro-Electrical-Mechanical Systems / Q000295:instrumentation*; D046210:Microfluidic Analytical Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials