Michael Ian Lapsley

Standing surface acoustic wave (SSAW) based multichannel cell sorting

We introduce a novel microfluidic device for cell sorting in continuous flow using tunable standing surface acoustic waves. This method allows individual cells to be precisely directed into five different outlet channels in a single step. It is versatile, simple, label-free, non-invasive, and highly controllable.

An On-Chip, Multichannel Droplet Sorter Using Standing Surface Acoustic Waves

The emerging field of droplet microfluidics requires effective on-chip handling and sorting of droplets. In this work, we demonstrate a microfluidic device that is capable of sorting picoliter water-in-oil droplets into multiple outputs using standing surface acoustic waves (SSAW). This device integrates a single-layer microfluidic channel with interdigital transducers (IDTs) to achieve on-chip droplet generation and sorting. Within the SSAW field, water-in-oil droplets experience an acoustic radiation force and are pushed toward the acoustic pressure node. As a result, by tuning the frequency of the SSAW excitation, the position of the pressure nodes can be changed and droplets can be sorted to different outlets at rates up to 222 droplets s(-1). With its advantages in simplicity, controllability, versatility, noninvasiveness, and capability to be integrated with other on-chip components such as droplet manipulation and optical detection units, the technique presented here could be valuable for the development of droplet-based micro total analysis systems (μTAS).

Light-driven tunable dual-band plasmonic absorber using liquid-crystal-coated asymmetric nanodisk array

We experimentally demonstrated a light-driven reconfigurable near perfect plasmonic absorber working at dual frequencies in infrared range. By employing nanodisks with different sizes in certain arrangement, near perfect absorption of incident electromagnetic waves can be achieved for different working frequencies due to the resonance between the incident light and the nanodisk of different sizes. We showed that optically induced changes in the dielectric constant of the adjacent liquid crystal layer is an effective means to tune the absorption bands of an asymmetric gold nanodisk array. Our liquid crystal based infrared plasmonic absorber can be tuned by using visible light in real time. A tunable range of 25 nm has been confirmed by both simulation and experiment.

A single-layer, planar, optofluidic Mach–Zehnder interferometer for label-free detection

We have developed a planar, optofluidic Mach-Zehnder interferometer for the label-free detection of liquid samples. In contrast to most on-chip interferometers which require complex fabrication, our design was realized via a simple, single-layer soft lithography fabrication process. In addition, a single-wavelength laser source and a silicon photodetector were the only optical equipment used for data collection. The device was calibrated using published data for the refractive index of calcium chloride (CaCl(2)) in solution, and the biosensing capabilities of the device were tested by detecting bovine serum albumin (BSA). Our design enables a refractometer with a low limit of detection (1.24 × 10(-4) refractive index units (RIU)), low variability (1 × 10(-4) RIU), and high sensitivity (927.88 oscillations per RIU). This performance is comparable to state-of-the-art optofluidic refractometers that involve complex fabrication processes and/or expensive, bulky optics. The advantages of our device (i.e. simple fabrication process, straightforward optical equipment, low cost, and high detection sensitivity) make it a promising candidate for future mass-producible, inexpensive, highly sensitive, label-free optical detection systems.

Piezoelectric accelerometers for ultrahigh temperature application

High temperature sensors are of major importance to aerospace and energy related industries. In this letter, a high temperature monolithic compression-mode piezoelectric accelerometer was fabricated using YCa4O(BO3)3 (YCOB) single crystals. The performance of the sensor was tested as function of temperature up to 1000 °C and over a frequency range of 100–600 Hz. The accelerometer prototype was found to possess sensitivity of 2.4±0.4 pC/g, across the measured temperature and frequency range, indicating a low temperature coefficient. Furthermore, the sensor exhibited good stability over an extended dwell time at 900 °C, demonstrating that YCOB piezoelectric accelerometers are promising candidates for high temperature sensing applications.

An in-plane, variable optical attenuator using a fluid-based tunable reflective interface

We introduce an optofluidic based variable optical attenuator with high stability, high reliability, simple and inexpensive fabrication, and an attenuation performance comparable to commercial devices. A standard soft lithography process produces a single-layered polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) microfluidic device integrated with optical fibers. By altering the refractive index of the fluid within the microchannel, we can control the reflectivity of the fluid/PDMS interface and thus achieve variable attenuation. Theoretical calculations are conducted based on Snell’s law of refraction and the Fresnel equations of reflection, and the calculated attenuation response matches well with experimental data.

A droplet-based, optofluidic device for high-throughput, quantitative bioanalysis

Analysis of chemical or biomolecular contents in a tiny amount of specimen presents a significant challenge in many biochemical studies and diagnostic applications. In this work, we present a single-layer, optofluidic device for real-time, high-throughput, quantitative analysis of droplet contents. Our device integrates an optical fiber-based, on-chip detection unit with a droplet-based microfluidic unit. It can quantitatively analyze the contents of individual droplets in real-time. It also achieves a detection throughput of 2000 droplets per second, a detection limit of 20 nM, and an excellent reproducibility in its detection results. In a proof-of-concept study, we demonstrate that our device can be used to perform detection of DNA and its mutations by monitoring the fluorescent signal changes of the target DNA/molecular beacon complex in single droplets. Our approach can be immediately extended to a real-time, high-throughput detection of other biomolecules (such as proteins and viruses) in droplets. With its advantages in throughput, functionality, cost, size, and reliability, the droplet-based optofluidic device presented here can be a valuable tool for many medical diagnostic applications.

Single-Shot Characterization of Enzymatic Reaction Constants Km and kcat by an Acoustic-Driven, Bubble-Based Fast Micromixer

In this work we present an acoustofluidic approach for rapid, single-shot characterization of enzymatic reaction constants K(m) and k(cat). The acoustofluidic design involves a bubble anchored in a horseshoe structure which can be stimulated by a piezoelectric transducer to generate vortices in the fluid. The enzyme and substrate can thus be mixed rapidly, within 100 ms, by the vortices to yield the product. Enzymatic reaction constants K(m) and k(cat) can then be obtained from the reaction rate curves for different concentrations of substrate while holding the enzyme concentration constant. We studied the enzymatic reaction for β-galactosidase and its substrate (resorufin-β-D-galactopyranoside) and found K(m) and k(cat) to be 333 ± 130 μM and 64 ± 8 s(-1), respectively, which are in agreement with published data. Our approach is valuable for studying the kinetics of high-speed enzymatic reactions and other chemical reactions.

A single-layer, planar, optofluidic switch powered by acoustically driven, oscillating microbubbles

Merging acoustofluidic mixing with optofluidic integration, we have demonstrated a single-layer, planar, optofluidic switch that is driven by acoustically excited oscillating microbubbles. The device was found to have a switching speed of 5 Hz, an insertion loss of 6.02 dB, and an extinction ratio of 28.48 dB. With its simplicity, low fluid consumption, and compatibility with other microfluidic devices, our design could lead to a line of inexpensive, yet effective optical switches for many lab-on-a-chip applications.

Acoustofluidic relay: sequential trapping and transporting of microparticles via acoustically excited oscillating bubbles.

We report an on-chip acoustofluidic method for sequential trapping and transporting of microparticles via acoustically oscillating bubbles. The size and location of bubbles were precisely controlled by lithography. When the acoustic waves were turned off, particles followed the streamlines dictated by laminar flow. When the acoustic waves were turned on, particles were attracted to and trapped in a vortex near the surface of bubble. Therefore, particles could move across the microfluidic channel with programmed trajectories. Additionally, a theoretical model based on acoustic radiation force and drag force due to acoustic microstreaming was established to help design this particle-trapping and -transporting system.