A portable droplet generation system for ultra-wide dynamic range digital PCR based on a vibrating sharp-tip capillary

Abstract

Monodisperse droplet has been widely used as a versatile tool in different disciplines including biosensing. Existing methods still struggle to balance the droplet generation performance with system simplicity. Here we introduce a novel droplet generation scheme based on the acoustic streaming generated from a vibrating sharp-tip capillary. The unique fluid pattern enables efficient droplet generation without any external pressure sources. This method achieved real-time modulation of droplet size over an ultra-wide range (6.77–661 μm), high throughput (up to 5000 droplets/s), and good monodispersity (<4%) with a power consumption below 60 mW. This method has enabled a multi-volume digital PCR with a dynamic range of ~6 orders of magnitude and multiplexing capability. It has also enabled a simple protocol to produce cell-laden alginate microcapsules in variable sizes with excellent biocompatibility. Overall, the present method combines high performance with small footprint and portability, which will be especially valuable for droplet applications requiring variable droplet size and performed in resource-limited settings.