Patterning device

US10695737B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, KU LEUVEN R&D · BE

Inventors

• Jeroen Lammertyn · Neerijse, BE
• Daan Witters · Geetbets, BE

Key dates

• Filing date: Jul 7, 2017
• Grant date: Jun 30, 2020
• Expiry date: Nov 9, 2037

Classification

• Technology area (CPC B): Performing Operations; Transporting
• CPC primary: B82Y30/00
• WIPO field: Chemical engineering
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

A novel miniaturized and highly automated method for the controlled printing of large arrays of nano- to femtoliter droplets is presented by actively transporting mother droplets over hydrophilic-in-hydrophobic micropatches. The proposed technology consists of single plate or double-plate devices where mother droplets can be actuated and hydrophilic-in-hydrophobic micropatches on one or both plates of the device where nano- to femtoliter droplets are printed. Due to the selective wettability of the more wettable hydrophilic micropatches in a hydrophobic matrix, large nano- to femtoliter droplet arrays are created when mother droplets are transported over these arrays. The parent droplets can be moved by different droplet actuation principles, for example, by using the principle of electrowetting-on-dielectric droplet actuation. We propose another method that uses two plates that are placed on top of each other while being separated by a spacer. One plate is dedicated to confirming and guiding of parent droplets by using hydrophilic patches in a hydrophobic matrix, while the other plate contains hydrophilic-in-hydrophobic arrays dedicated to the printing of nano- to femtoliter dropl…