Microfluidics

Research that includes: 

  • Microvalves and fluidic flow control
  • Micropumps
  • Modeling of microfluidics
  • Particulate air monitoring
  • Flow Sensors
  • Capillary Pump Loop
  • Optoelectronic Transport & Tweezers

BPNX1038: CMOS Flow Deformability Cytometry (New Project)

Lily Li
Venkata Alapati
2025

Cell deformability is a label-free biomarker with great potential for studying various cellular processes and disease states. This mechanical property provides insights into changes in the cytoskeleton, nuclear structure, and overall cell state, demonstrating significant clinical potential in cancer research, immune responses, and stem cell sorting.

The current state-of-the-art method for detecting cell deformability combines inertial microfluidics for precise cell positioning with an ultra-high-speed camera to capture the degree of cell deformation under strong fluidic pressure...

BPN970: Rotary Inchworm Motor for Underwater Microrobot Propulsion

Mauricio J. Bustamante
2023

Autonomous swimming microrobots for biomedical applications and distributed sensing require locally controllable swimming mechanisms. This project aims to develop underwater, rotary electrostatic inchworm motors for artificial flagella. Our proposed design uses gap closing actuators with an angle arm design, similar to existing inchworm motors, to drive a central rotor, all fabricated with an SOI process. An artificial flagella is attached the rotor, converting the rotational motion into propulsion. Major challenges include efficient operation of electrostatic motors underwater and...

Gold NanoParticle Based Plasmonic Sensing for the Detection of SARS-CoV-2 Nucleocapsid Proteins

Kamyar Behrouzi
Liwei Lin
2022

An inexpensive virus detection scheme with high sensitivity and specificity is desirable for broad applications such as the COVID-19 virus. In this article, we introduce the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) principle on the aggregation of antigen-coated...

NT21: Corona MEMS for Wide Study Area Air Particulate Monitoring

Beelee Chua
2005

(a) To miniaturize airborne particulates sizing and counting apparatus for ubiquitous deployment in air quality monitoring and epidemiological studies. (b) Multitudes of such devices can be deployed over a wide study area (such as downtown Sacramento) to monitor the air quality in situ and generate air particulates spatial and temporal maps. (c) To extend the applications of micro corona discharge device to micro ozone generator for biological sterilizing units, localized ESD control and other EHD-based fluid actuation applications.

Project end date: 02/06/06

APP68: Plastic Injection Molded Microneedles

Jonathan Fischer
2003

The objective of this research is to design, fabricate, characterize, and demonstrate injection-molded, plastic microneedles. Deep Reactive Ion Etching (DRIE) will be used to fabricate silicon die inserts and an “investment casting” technique used to define the inner bore (lumen) of the needle. These silicon die inserts will be incorporated into a standard plastic injection molding machine to transfer the micron-scale features from the silicon die to the plastic microneedles. It is expected to fabricate microneedles from polycarbonate, a premium plastic.

Project end...

LPL26: Floating planar nanogap capacitor for biosensor application

Ho-Kwan Kang
2003

The goal of this research is to develop the floating membrane nanogap capacitor for the dielectric spectroscopy exploration and the optical fluorescent observation of biomolecule.

Project end date: 08/01/03

DL16: Simulation of Micro-Fluidic Laser Heating Utilizing CFDRC

David Mun
2003

With the recent rapid advancements in computer technology, increasingly complex and powerful simulation programs are being developed that allow engineers and scientists in a variety of disciplines to develop extremely sophisticated and detailed models which simulate phenomena that might otherwise be difficult or impossible to verify experimentally or analytically. One specific application of this new technology is in the area of computerized fluid dynamic (CFD) simulations. CFD simulations can be utilized in a myriad of situations, such as modeling jet turbines, or determining...

RTH/JDK1: A Microfabricated Electrochemical Oxygen Generator for High-Density Cell Culture Arrays

William J. Holtz
Khoa Nguyen
2003

The goal of this project was to design, fabricate and characterize an electrochemical oxygen micro-generator suitable for use in high density miniature cell culture arrays.Arrays of miniature bioreactors were built and oxygen was supplied to them via electrochemical oxygen microgenerators.

Project end date: 08/20/03

RMW25: Microsphere Capture and Perfusion in Microchannels Using Flexural Plate Wave Structures

Justin Black
2003

Sequential flow injection (FI) involves the temporary immobilization of functionalized microspheres as a renewable surface for (bio) chemical assays. We describe a microfabricated flow injection system that employs the ultrasonic flexural plate wave (FPW) device to acoustically capture microspheres from fluid flow. Microsphere capture is achieved by counteracting viscous drag force with radiation pressure generated from a standing acoustic field. The feasibility of acoustic trapping for FI is demonstrated with a bio-ligand assay of fluorescently labeled biotin conjugated to...

LPL10: Disposable Integrated Optical MEMS and Microfluidic Channels for High Resolution Biochip Array

Jeonggi Seo
2003

The goal of this project is to integrate and qualify micro-optical systems with microfludic channels in order to advance the functions of micro total analytical systems (mTAS). The disposable self-aligned integrated microfluidic optical systems (SiMOS) with planar optical systems have the potential to open a new period to mTAS because of low-cost, simple fabrication steps and aberration-free optical systems. We believe the SiMOS provide a new paradigm of integrating optical systems to mTAS.

Project end date: 08/22/03