APPARATUS WITH ELECTRODE ARRAYS FOR CARRYING OUT CHEMICAL, PHYSICAL OR PHYSICO-CHEMICAL REACTIONS

摘要

Apparatus is described for carrying out chemical, physical or physico-chemicalreactions between particles suspended in a liquidmedium. The liquid medium is present in channels (1-8, 10, 40, 41, 42, 52, 72)on a generally planar substrate. The liquid medium doesnot have to flow through the channels, (1-8, 10, 40, 41, 42, 52, 72), but mayremain stationary while the particles being reacted movethrough them. Associated with the channels (1-8, 10, 40, 41, 42, 52, 72) areelectrode arrays which enable the particles to be moved, e.g.,using dielectrophoresis or travelling wave dielectrophoresis. Complexprocessing schemes may be achieved using arrays of channels (1-8,10, 40, 41, 42, 52, 72) and electrodes (20, 21, 22, 36, 56, 71). The apparatusmay be manufactured, e.g., using photo lithographic and/orlaser machining techniques.