US 11,944,974 B2
Air-matrix digital microfluidics apparatuses and methods for limiting evaporation and surface fouling
Mais J. Jebrail, Toronto (CA); Irena Barbulovic-Nad, Toronto (CA); Lorenzo Gutierrez, North York (CA); and Foteini Christodoulou, San Francisco, CA (US)
Assigned to mirOculus Inc., San Francisco, CA (US)
Filed by MIROCULUS INC., San Francisco, CA (US)
Filed on Aug. 18, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/405,800.
Application 17/405,800 is a continuation of application No. 16/523,876, filed on Jul. 26, 2019, granted, now 11,097,276.
Application 16/523,876 is a continuation of application No. 15/579,455, granted, now 10,464,067, issued on Nov. 5, 2019, previously published as PCT/US2016/036015, filed on Jun. 6, 2016.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/171,756, filed on Jun. 5, 2015.
Prior Publication US 2021/0370304 A1, Dec. 2, 2021
Int. Cl. B01L 3/00 (2006.01); C12M 3/06 (2006.01); G01N 27/447 (2006.01)
CPC B01L 3/502792 (2013.01) [C12M 23/16 (2013.01); G01N 27/44791 (2013.01); B01L 2200/027 (2013.01); B01L 2200/142 (2013.01); B01L 2300/042 (2013.01); B01L 2300/0874 (2013.01); B01L 2300/18 (2013.01); B01L 2300/1822 (2013.01); B01L 2400/0415 (2013.01); B01L 2400/0427 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of operating a digital microfluidic (DMF) apparatus that reduces evaporation and surface fouling, the method comprising:
dispensing a droplet within an air gap of the DMF apparatus having a bottom plate that is open to air above the bottom plate;
combining the droplet with a liquid wax or oil material within the air gap to form a coated reaction droplet;
moving the coated reaction droplet to a thermally controlled region within the air gap by applying energy to a plurality of actuation electrodes; and
allowing a reaction to proceed within the coated reaction droplet at the location, wherein the liquid wax or oil material protects the coated reaction droplet from evaporation.