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By Kelvin Yuk
MS Thesis, September 2004
Abstract
Using micro-scale fabrication and high voltage technologies, a fluid analysis system based on the transportation of fluid droplets by dielectrophoresis (DEP) can be developed. This thesis describes the development of a two-dimensional high voltage phase programmable driver array serving as the engine for a programmable fluidics processor (PFP) system employing DEP. The planar electrode array consists of 32-by-32 high voltage drivers, each capable of producing square waves of up to 100V which can be programmed between two phases: 0-degrees and 180-degrees in-phase with a square wave reference. By programming sequential phase changes of the array’s square wave outputs, a droplet movement path can be configured for the transport of a fluid droplet sample and its movement response can be studied. High voltage is necessary to generate the force needed to transport drops between electrodes in a lateral direction. The chip is produced in high-voltage 1.0um SOI technology, which allows the integration of the 100V driver circuitry and 5V CMOS control circuitry on a single chip making it a candidate for a laboratory-on-a-chip application. The chip is designed as part of a prototype portable system and has shown to be capable of transporting drops across its coated surface. Circuitry allowing for DEP assisted injection of droplets onto the coated surface of the PFP chip is also presented.
