Digital microfluidic devices including dual substrates with thin-film transistors and capacitive sensing
Inventors
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Assignees
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NucleraNuclera develops automated benchtop platforms and integrated systems for rapid protein expression, optimization, and purification, utilizing cell-free synthesis, digital microfluidics, and software-driven workflows. Their technology enables miniaturized and scalable protein prototyping—including challenging targets such as membrane proteins—directly at the lab bench. Nuclera serves academic and industrial researchers, focusing on reducing turnaround time for functional protein access and streamlining screening and production. The company has secured significant funding to enable broad commercialization, expanded their leadership team to support scale-up, and continues to drive advancements in drug discovery, proteomics, and experimental automation.
Nuclera develops automated benchtop platforms and integrated systems for rapid protein expression, optimization, and purification, utilizing cell-free synthesis, digital microfluidics, and software-driven workflows. Their technology enables miniaturized and scalable protein prototyping—including challenging targets such as membrane proteins—directly at the lab bench. Nuclera serves academic and industrial researchers, focusing on reducing turnaround time for functional protein access and streamlining screening and production. The company has secured significant funding to enable broad commercialization, expanded their leadership team to support scale-up, and continues to drive advancements in drug discovery, proteomics, and experimental automation.
Publication Number
US-10882042-B2
Publication Date
2021-01-05
Expiration Date
Abstract
An active matrix electrowetting on dielectric (AM-EWoD) device including dual substrates with thin-film transistors (TFT) and capacitive sensing. As depicted herein the bottom substrate includes a first plurality of electrodes to propel various droplets through a microfluidic region, while the top substrate includes a second plurality of electrodes that are configured to interrogate the droplets with capacitive sensing. In some embodiments, the top substrate has zones of high-resolution sensing and zones of low-resolution sensing.
Core Innovation
An active matrix electrowetting on dielectric (AM-EWoD) device including dual substrates with thin-film transistors (TFT) and capacitive sensing. As depicted herein the bottom substrate includes a first plurality of electrodes to propel various droplets through a microfluidic region, while the top substrate includes a second plurality of electrodes that are configured to interrogate the droplets with capacitive sensing. In some embodiments, the top substrate has zones of high-resolution sensing and zones of low-resolution sensing.
The invention addresses the shortcomings of the prior art by providing an alternate architecture for an AM-EWoD that is well-suited for construction from amorphous silicon substrates. Polysilicon fabrication is substantially more expensive and there are fewer facilities worldwide for polysilicon, limiting availability; there is a need for different designs that can take advantage of existing amorphous silicon fabrication capacity so devices could be produced at lower cost and in great quantities, making them ideal for commonplace diagnostic testing, such as immunoassays.
Claims Coverage
One independent claim is present and comprises five main inventive features.
First substrate electrodes and dielectric
A first substrate comprising a first plurality of electrodes coupled to a first set of thin-film-transistors, and including a first dielectric layer covering both the first plurality of electrodes and the first set of thin-film-transistors.
Second substrate electrodes, drive electrode, and dielectric
A second substrate comprising a second plurality of electrodes coupled to a second set of thin-film-transistors and a drive electrode, and including a second dielectric layer covering the second plurality of electrodes, the second set of thin-film-transistors, and the drive electrode.
Spacer creating a microfluidic region
A spacer separating the first and second substrates and creating a microfluidic region between the first and second substrates.
Propulsion controller operatively coupled to first thin-film-transistors
A first controller operatively coupled to the first set of thin-film-transistors and configured to provide a propulsion voltage between at least a portion of the first plurality of electrodes and the drive electrode.
Capacitance sensing controller operatively coupled to second thin-film-transistors
A second controller operatively coupled to the second set of thin-film-transistors and configured to determine a capacitance between at least one of the second plurality of electrodes and the drive electrode.
The independent claim is directed to a dual-substrate AM-EWoD device combining a first substrate with propulsion electrodes and dielectric, a second substrate with sensing electrodes, a drive electrode and dielectric, a spacer forming a microfluidic region, and dedicated controllers for providing propulsion voltages and for determining capacitance between sensing electrodes and the drive electrode.
Stated Advantages
Well-suited for construction from amorphous silicon substrates, enabling use of existing amorphous silicon fabrication capacity.
Reduces cost of production so devices could be produced at lower cost and in great quantities, making them ideal for commonplace diagnostic testing.
Allows implementation with amorphous-silicon fabrication facilities and lower cost driving electronics to provide low-cost lab-on-a-chip functionality.
Can provide higher sensitivity and resolution than known passive devices because devices incorporate TFT-based sensors.
Top and bottom electrodes do not need to be aligned, simplifying fabrication.
Designs can be implemented so devices can be disposable.
Documented Applications
Lab-on-a-chip functionality including sample preparation, assays, and synthetic chemistry.
Commonplace diagnostic testing, such as immunoassays.
Particle interrogation to determine composition or size (capacitive sensing and particle sizing).
Tracking position or presence of droplets and droplet movement sensing.
Droplet size measurement in high-resolution sensing areas.
Spectroscopic interrogation of droplets through light-transmissive regions, including fluorescence and absorption measurements (IR, UV, or visible).
Combinatorial chemistry applications enabled by larger arrays with differentiated sensing densities.
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