Chip level design in MEDA based biochips: application of daisy chain based actuation

Abstract

Recent advances in microfluidics and micro-fabrication technology enabled the emergence of a new microelectrode-dot-array (MEDA) architecture for microfluidic biochips. The MEDA based design facilitates dynamic routing with variable sized droplets having advanced characteristics such as field programmability, higher level of reconfigurability and scalability. Unlike traditional digital microfluidic biochips, droplet actuations for MEDA based biochips are accomplished through a daisy chain based interconnection of the microelectrodes. This paper provides a detail analysis of daisy chain configuration for different conditions e.g. manipulation of single droplets as well as manipulation of multiple droplets. A daisy chain control sequence for actuation has been proposed in order to evade droplet interference. This paper also defines different actuation sequences for a set of fundamental microfluidic operations namely droplet merging, mixing, splitting and transportation essential for bioassay execution. Finally a daisy chain actuation sequence for overall execution of a specified bioassay from sample preparation to chip level design are demonstrated. Experimental results figure out the daisy chain actuation time for implementation of standard test benches.