access icon free Field-programmable lab-on-a-chip based on microelectrode dot array architecture

© The Institution of Engineering and Technology
Received 11/12/2012, Accepted 16/07/2013, Revised 10/07/2013, Published 21/10/2013

The fundamentals of electrowetting-on-dielectric (EWOD) digital microfluidics are very strong: advantageous capability in the manipulation of fluids, small test volumes, precise dynamic control and detection, and microscale systems. These advantages are very important for future biochip developments, but the development of EWOD microfluidics has been hindered by the absence of: integrated detector technology, standard commercial components, on-chip sample preparation, standard manufacturing technology and end-to-end system integration. A field-programmable lab-on-a-chip (FPLOC) system based on microelectrode dot array (MEDA) architecture is presented in this research. The MEDA architecture proposes a standard EWOD microfluidic component called ‘microelectrode cell’, which can be dynamically configured into microfluidic components to perform microfluidic operations of the biochip. A proof-of-concept prototype FPLOC, containing a 30 × 30 MEDA, was developed by using generic integrated circuits computer aided design tools, and it was manufactured with standard low-voltage complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor technology, which allows smooth on-chip integration of microfluidics and microelectronics. By integrating 900 droplet detection circuits into microelectrode cells, the FPLOC has achieved large-scale integration of microfluidics and microelectronics. Compared to the full-custom and bottom-up design methods, the FPLOC provides hierarchical top–down design approach, field-programmability and dynamic manipulations of droplets for advanced microfluidic operations.

Inspec keywords: bioMEMS; microfluidics; biological techniques; microelectrodes; lab-on-a-chip; CMOS integrated circuits; wetting

Other keywords: biochip; computer aided design tools; MEDA; microelectrode dot array architecture; precise dynamic control; generic integrated circuits; FPLOC; precise dynamic detection; field-programmable lab-on-a-chip; EWOD; electrowetting-on-dielectric digital microfluidics; microscale systems; fluid manipulation; standard low-voltage complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor technology

Subjects: Biological engineering and techniques; Biophysical instrumentation and techniques; CMOS integrated circuits; MEMS and NEMS device technology; Micromechanical and nanomechanical devices and systems

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