US 12,290,815 B2
Droplet interfaces in electro-wetting devices
Matthew Holden, Oxford (GB); James White, Oxford (GB); Andrew John Heron, Oxford (GB); James Anthony Clarke, Oxford (GB); Jason Robert Hyde, Oxford (GB); Benjamin James Hadwen, Oxford (GB); and Sally Anderson, Oxford (GB)
Assigned to Oxford Nanopore Technologies PLC, Oxford (GB)
Filed by Oxford Nanopore Technologies PLC, Oxford (GB)
Filed on Nov. 18, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/989,814.
Application 17/989,814 is a continuation of application No. 16/955,762, granted, now 11,534,763, previously published as PCT/US2018/067219, filed on Dec. 21, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2023/0158503 A1, May 25, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. B01L 3/00 (2006.01); C12Q 1/6869 (2018.01); G01N 33/487 (2006.01)
CPC B01L 3/502792 (2013.01) [C12Q 1/6869 (2013.01); G01N 33/48721 (2013.01); B01L 2300/0645 (2013.01); B01L 2300/165 (2013.01); B01L 2400/0427 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus for performing experiments on droplet interfaces, the apparatus comprising:
an electro-wetting device comprising an array of actuation electrodes and an electrically insulating layer covering the actuation electrodes and having an outermost hydrophobic surface of the electrically insulating layer, the electro-wetting device being arranged to receive a fluid medium and droplets comprising liquid in the fluid medium disposed on the hydrophobic surface,
a control system configured to apply actuation signals to the actuation electrodes selected to manipulate received droplets and to form at least one system of droplets having one or more droplet interfaces between the droplets; and
a sensor system configured to take electrical measurements between droplets in at least one formed system of droplets across droplet interfaces;
wherein the sensor system comprises a substrate supporting at least two sensor electrodes facing the hydrophobic surface of the electrically insulating layer;
wherein the substrate comprises a hydrophobic material coating, the hydrophobic material coating having apertures exposing only a part of the sensor electrodes.