title: Stokes trap for multiplexed particle manipulation and assembly using fluidics.
abstract: The ability to confine and manipulate single particles and molecules has revolutionized several fields of science. Hydrodynamic trapping offers an attractive method for particle manipulation in free solution without the need for optical, electric, acoustic, or magnetic fields. Here, we develop and demonstrate the Stokes trap, which is a new method for trapping multiple particles using only fluid flow. We demonstrate simultaneous manipulation of two particles in a simple microfluidic device using model predictive control. We further show that this approach can be used for fluidic-directed assembly of multiple particles in solution. Overall, this technique opens new vistas for fundamental studies of particle-particle interactions and provides a new method for the directed assembly of colloidal particles.
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801;
authors.forename: Anish
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shenoy
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801;
authors.forename: Christopher V
authors.initials: CV
authors.lastname: Rao
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801; Center for Biophysics and Computational Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801 cms@illinois.edu.
authors.forename: Charles M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Schroeder
keywords: Stokes; directed assembly; hydrodynamic; microfluidics; trapping