An Array of Circular Dielectrophoresis Traps to Separate and Charaterize Individual Microparticles from Population

Abstract

Dielectrophoretic traps have been broadly studied in light of their many advantages of high controllability, ease of operation, and high efficiency. In the previous studies, however, it was challenging to count captured particles or required work to capture particles. In the thesis, an array of circular dielectrophoresis (DEP) traps was developed and tested to manipulate population of microparticles in single particle level. The circular DEP traps enable more precise control of the force field than conventionally used interdigitated electrodes due to its omnidirectional and symmetric properties. The location of the captured microparticle inside the trap was confirmed by both of numerical and experimental approaches, based on the direction and amplitude of the force field generated by numerical simulation. This comprehensive analysis facilitated separation as well as trapping. The individual microparticle captured in separate trap can be further tested or treated by follow up treatments.