title: Dielectrophoresis with 3D microelectrodes fabricated by surface tension assisted lithography.
abstract: This paper demonstrates the utilization of 3D semispherical shaped microelectrodes for dielectrophoretic manipulation of yeast cells. The semispherical microelectrodes are capable of producing strong electric field gradients, and in turn dielectrophoretic forces across a large area of channel cross-section. The semispherical shape of microelectrodes avoids the formation of undesired sharp electric fields along the structure and also minimizes the disturbance of the streamlines of nearby passing fluid. The advantage of semispherical microelectrodes over the planar microelectrodes is demonstrated in a series of numerical simulations and proof-of-concept experiments aimed toward immobilization of viable yeast cells.
authors.affiliation: School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
authors.forename: Mahyar
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nasabi
authors.forename: Khashayar
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Khoshmanesh
authors.forename: Francisco J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Tovar-Lopez
authors.forename: Kourosh
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kalantar-Zadeh
authors.forename: Arnan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mitchell
mesh_terms: D002469:Cell Separation / Q000295:instrumentation*; D004586:Electrophoresis / Q000295:instrumentation*; D008839:Microelectrodes; D046210:Microfluidic Analytical Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation*; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D013500:Surface Tension; D015003:Yeasts / Q000166:cytology
keywords: 3D microelectrodes; Cell trapping; Dielectrophoresis; Microfluidics; Surface tension assisted lithography