US 12,140,562 B2
Microorganism detection apparatus using dielectrophoresis force
Sung Yang, Gwangju (KR); Taek Eon Jeong, Busan (KR); Jae Hyeon Ahn, Busan (KR); and Yu Gyung Jung, Busan (KR)
Assigned to GIST(Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology), Gwangju (KR)
Filed by GIST (Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology), Gwangju (KR)
Filed on Jul. 20, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/380,703.
Claims priority of application No. 10-2020-0089776 (KR), filed on Jul. 20, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0018807 A1, Jan. 20, 2022
Int. Cl. G01N 27/447 (2006.01)
CPC G01N 27/44786 (2013.01) 11 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A microorganism detection apparatus comprising:
a detection unit that detects microbial particles using a dielectrophoresis (DEP) force corresponding to latex particles combined with the microbial particles,
wherein the detection unit comprises:
an injection unit;
a detection channel having a first section and a second section;
a plurality of electrode units positioned on the second section along one side of the detection channel, and each electrode unit comprising a pair of adjacent electrodes; and
wherein the injection unit injects a solution containing the latex particles combined with the microbial particles to the detection channel,
wherein the latex particles combined with the microbial particles move on the detection channel,
wherein the first section of the detection channel has a first end coupled to the injection unit and a second end coupled to the second section of the detection channel, and the first section of the detection channel has a width that gradually increases in a direction from the first end to the second end,
wherein the second section of the detection channel has a constant width,
wherein the electrode unit is applied with an alternating current (AC) signal having a particular frequency, which corresponds to a frequency that makes the latex particles combined with the microbial particles to show a positive DEP force and captures the microbial particles showing Clausius-Mossotti (CM) factor corresponding to the latex particles by forming the positive DEP force corresponding to the latex particles according to the frequency of the AC signal, and wherein the captured microbial particles, among the microbial particles do not flow along the solution but are captured in between each pair of adjacent electrodes of each electrode unit.