Dielectrophoretic device for size-separation of
DNA molecules
S.
Nedelcu1, J.H. P. Watson2, N. Dumbravescu1,
E. Dascalu1, L. Lazar1, M. Nisulescu1,
F. Craciunoiu1
1National Institute for
R&D in Microtechonologies, IMT-Bucharest
2School
of Physics and Astronomy, University of Southampton, U.K.
Abstract
The size
separation of DNA fragments is an important subject in the field of
microbiology and biochemistry, and a considerable number of studies have
been dedicated to this subject. Current microfabrication techniques
specific to the IT industry made possible the manufacturing of
microfabricated capillary array electrophoresis bioanalyzers with very
high resolution capabilities. Different from the classical methods used
in the CE microfluidic devices, where the driving force is the
electrophoretic force, the present work focuses on a description of a
dielectrophoretic device, where the polarization potentials are of a DC
type, the voltage being applied being chosen accordingly with the buffer
conductivity and dielectric constants of the fluid and particles.
Preliminary computer modeling results, which address the problem of
efficiency, separation resolution and separation times will be
presented, together with some illustrative test devices, obtained by
isotropic and anisotropic etching of (100) and (110)-orientated silicon
wafers.