Active-Matrix Digital Microfluidics Design and Optimization for High-Throughput Droplets Manipulation

Abstract

Emerging microfluidic tools are bringing new approaches to biological experiments on the scale of microdroplets and single cells. In this study, we designed an active-matrix digital microfluidics chip and investigated a driving signal strategy. The driving factors of ‘holding time’ and ‘delay time’ in the active-matrix drive timing and the stability of droplet manipulation were optimized. Then, the drive signal was optimized to finally achieve the stable control of two different single high-throughput droplets. In this process, we also investigated how to maintain the stability of droplet driving while reducing the electrode degradation, extending the electrode and TFT circuit life and increasing the duration of the AM-DMF chip. The above work provides experience in the stable manipulation of single cells and the application of high-throughput droplet driving while allowing for cost savings.

Keywords

• TFT array circuits
• active matrix electrowetting-on-dielectric (AM-EWOD)
• digital microfluidics (DMF)