Backplanes with hexagonal and triangular electrodes
Inventors
Tsai, Annie • French, Ian • Visani, Cristina • ZHITOMIRSKY, David • Paolini, Jr., Richard J.
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Assignees
Member
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-11353759-B2
Publication Date
2022-06-07
Expiration Date
Abstract
Active matrix backplanes including an array of hexagonal electrodes or an array of triangular electrodes. Because the backplane designs route the gate lines along the periphery of the electrodes there is less cross talk with the surface of the electrode. The disclosed designs simplify construction and control of the electrodes and improve the regularity of the electric field above the electrode. Such backplane electrode designs may be particularly useful in electrowetting on dielectric (EWoD) devices and electrophoretic displays (EPD).
Core Innovation
The invention provides backplanes having an array of hexagonal electrodes or an array of triangular electrodes. Because the backplane designs route the gate lines along the periphery of the electrodes there is less cross talk with the surface of the electrode. The disclosed designs simplify construction and control of the electrodes and improve the regularity of the electric field above the electrode.
Many displays traditionally use rectangular or square electrodes and associated scan and gate lines. Conventional rectangular arrays can limit functionality in applications such as electrowetting on dielectric (EWoD), and field inconsistencies on electrode surfaces can affect device performance (for example, stopping a droplet or showing a wrong color). The invention addresses these limitations by using non-traditional pixel shapes.
The backplane electrode designs route gate and scan lines along the perimeters of hexagonal or triangular electrodes so that each electrode is addressable with one scan line and one gate line. Such electrode designs may be particularly useful in particle sensing and EWoD applications, and can also be used in more traditional displays such as LCDs or electrophoretic displays (EPD). The designs are described as easily coupled to standard controllers and capable of simple pinouts that reduce substrate and interface complexity and cost.
Claims Coverage
There are two independent claims, each defining a microfluidic device backplane with a distinct electrode geometry and associated features.
Hexagonal propulsion electrode backplane
A pixel electrode backplane defining a plurality of hexagonal cells comprising a plurality of scan lines, a plurality of gate lines, a plurality of storage capacitors having a capacitance greater than 0.5 pF, a plurality of thin film transistors, and a plurality of hexagonal propulsion electrodes having a dielectric coating and a first hydrophobic layer, the hexagonal propulsion electrodes arranged in a honeycomb structure, each hexagonal propulsion electrode operatively coupled to a storage capacitor and a thin film transistor, wherein the voltage potential of each hexagonal propulsion electrode is controllable with only one scan line and only one gate line.
Light-transmissive electrode with hydrophobic layer
A light-transmissive electrode having a second hydrophobic layer disposed on the light-transmissive electrode, incorporated with the hexagonal backplane configuration.
Oil layer and spacer for droplet movement
An oil layer in contact with the first and second hydrophobic layers and a spacer disposed between the pixel electrode backplane and the light-transmissive electrode, wherein the microfluidic device is configured to move aqueous droplets distributed in the oil layer between three or more of the plurality of hexagonal cells.
Triangular propulsion electrode backplane
A pixel electrode backplane defining a plurality of triangular cells comprising a plurality of scan lines, a plurality of gate lines, a plurality of storage capacitors having a capacitance greater than 0.5 pF, a plurality of thin film transistors, and a plurality of triangular propulsion electrodes having a dielectric coating and a first hydrophobic layer, wherein four triangular propulsion electrodes are arranged as a square and the voltage potential of each triangular propulsion electrode is controllable with only one scan line and only one gate line.
Triangular backplane oil layer and spacer
A light-transmissive electrode having a second hydrophobic layer, an oil layer in contact with the first and second hydrophobic layers, and a spacer disposed between the pixel electrode backplane and the light-transmissive electrode, wherein the microfluidic device is configured to move aqueous droplets distributed in the oil layer between three or more of the plurality of triangular cells.
The independent claims define backplanes with hexagonal or triangular propulsion electrodes coupled to scan lines, gate lines, storage capacitors, and thin film transistors, combined with hydrophobic-coated dielectric layers, a light-transmissive electrode, an oil layer, and a spacer to enable controlled movement of aqueous droplets between multiple cells.
Stated Advantages
Less cross talk with the surface of the electrode due to routing the gate lines along the periphery of the electrodes.
Simplified construction and control of the electrodes.
Improved regularity of the electric field above the electrode.
Easily coupled to standard controllers and capable of simple pinouts that are plug-and-play with existing ecosystems.
Reduced complexity of substrates and interfaces with printed circuit boards, thereby reducing costs.
In EWoD applications, hexagonal electrodes provide more directions of movement compared to conventional rectangular arrays.
Documented Applications
Electrowetting on dielectric (EWoD) devices and microfluidic applications such as lab-on-a-chip assays.
Electrophoretic displays (EPD).
Liquid crystal displays (LCD).
Particle sensing (e.g., photon sensors).
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