This paper presents an original device to enhance dielectrophoresis (DEP) effects through novel geometry of the electrodes.
Implemented with a simple single-layer metal process, our microchip device consists of individually triangular-shaped electrodes
in a parallel array. When activated with DEP waveforms, the novel-shaped electrodes generate horizontal bands of increasing
electric fields. With these bands of electric fields, dielectric microbeads in a suitable medium can be manipulated to form
a straight horizontal line at a predictable location over the electrodes. Further experiments show that the location of the
microbeads is sensitive to the frequency of the applied DEP waveforms. By changing the frequencies, the line of microbeads
can be shifted vertically along the electrodes. In addition, horizontal movements of the microbeads can be achieved with traveling
wave DEP. With an accurate control of both vertical and horizontal positions and a potential multi-lane separation strategy,
our device delivers substantial improvements over the existing electrode array devices.
Keywords Dielectrophoresis - Traveling wave dielectrophoresis - Particle manipulation