US 11,964,275 B2
Microfluidic apparatus having an optimized electrowetting surface and related systems and methods
Randall D. Lowe, Jr., Emeryville, CA (US); Shao Ning Pei, Albany, CA (US); Jian Gong, Danville, CA (US); Alexander J. Mastroianni, Alameda, CA (US); Jason M. McEwen, El Cerrito, CA (US); and Justin K. Valley, Berkeley, CA (US)
Assigned to Berkeley Lights, Inc., Emeryville, CA (US)
Filed by Berkeley Lights, Inc., Emeryville, CA (US)
Filed on Aug. 27, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/005,116.
Application 17/005,116 is a continuation of application No. 15/336,768, filed on Oct. 27, 2016, granted, now 10,799,865.
Application 15/336,768 is a continuation in part of application No. 15/135,707, filed on Apr. 22, 2016, granted, now 10,723,988, issued on Jul. 28, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/410,238, filed on Oct. 19, 2016.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/342,131, filed on May 26, 2016.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/247,725, filed on Oct. 28, 2015.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/246,605, filed on Oct. 27, 2015.
Prior Publication US 2021/0114020 A1, Apr. 22, 2021
Int. Cl. B01L 3/00 (2006.01); C12M 1/00 (2006.01); C12M 3/06 (2006.01)
CPC B01L 3/50273 (2013.01) [C12M 23/16 (2013.01); C12M 29/10 (2013.01); B01L 2200/0647 (2013.01); B01L 2200/12 (2013.01); B01L 2300/0816 (2013.01); B01L 2300/0887 (2013.01); B01L 2300/12 (2013.01); B01L 2300/161 (2013.01); B01L 2400/0427 (2013.01)] 27 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of manufacturing a microfluidic apparatus, the method comprising:
bonding a spacing element to an inner surface of a cover having at least one electrode configured to be connected to a voltage source;
bonding the spacing element and cover to a dielectric surface of a substrate having at least one electrode configured to be connected to a voltage source, whereby the spacing element becomes sandwiched between the inner surface of the cover and the dielectric surface of the substrate, with the cover and the substrate oriented substantially parallel to one another, and the substrate, spacing element, and cover collectively defining an enclosure configured to hold a liquid;
forming, by vapor deposition, a densely packed hydrophobic monolayer on at least a portion of the inner surface of the cover, wherein the hydrophobic monolayer comprises self-associating molecules covalently bonded to the inner surface of the cover; and
forming, by vapor deposition, a densely packed hydrophobic monolayer on at least a portion of the dielectric surface of the substrate, wherein the hydrophobic monolayer comprises self-associating molecules covalently bonded to the dielectric surface of the substrate
wherein the self-associating molecules of the hydrophobic monolayer of the cover and the self-associating molecules of the hydrophobic monolayer of the substrate each comprise a surface modifying ligand and a linking group that links the surface modifying ligand to the inner surface of the cover and the dielectric surface of the substrate, respectively, wherein the resulting surfaces of the cover and the substrate have a structure of Formula II:

OG Complex Work Unit Chemistry
wherein custom character is a surface of the dielectric layer;
V is —P(O)(OY)W— or —Si(OZ)2W—;
W is —O—, —S—, or —NH— and connects to the surface;
Z is a bond to an adjacent silicon atom attached to the surface or is a bond to the surface;
Y is a bond to an adjacent phosphorus atom attached to the surface or is a bond to the surface;
R is hydrogen or fluorine;
M is hydrogen or fluorine;
h is independently an integer of 2 or 3;
j is 1;
k is 0 or 1;
m is 0 or an integer of 1 to 20
n is 0 or an integer of 1 to 20;
the sum of (n+[(h+j)·k]+m) is an integer of 11 to 25;
when k is 1, then m is at least 2 and M is hydrogen; and
when k is 0 and R is fluorine, then m is at least 2 and M is hydrogen.