Reusable acoustic tweezers enable 2D patterning of microparticles in microchamber on a disposable silicon chip superstrate

Abstract

We report the first demonstration of two-dimensional (2D) patterning of microparticles on a silicon superstrate via a plug-and-play reusable acoustofluidic setup. The proposed integrated device comprises two independent parts: (1) a silicon superstrate enclosed in a PDMS microfluidic chamber (containing the particles) and (2) a reusable lithium niobate (LN) piezoelectric substrate for generating standing surface acoustic waves (SSAW). The proposed method enables patterning of particles on a silicon superstrate with the aim of ultimately enabling 2D patterning of particles or cells on functional silicon micromechanical chips. Such a capability would enable functional applications such as diagnostics and biosensing. This contactless, label-free, low-cost technique would be widely employed in biological application regardless of shape, size, charge or polarity of samples.