Low voltage electrowetting on atomic-layer-deposited aluminum oxide

Jong Hyeon Chang, Dae Young Choi, Xueqiu You, James Jungho Pak, Seungoh Han

    Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

    11 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    Electrowetting on dielectric (EWOD) is useful in manipulating droplets for digital (droplet-based) microfluidics, but its high driving voltage over several tens of volts has been a barrier to overcome. This paper presents the characteristics of EWOD device with aluminum oxide (Al2O3, εr≈10), deposited by atomic layer deposition (ALD), as the high-k dielectric for lowering the EWOD driving voltage substantially. The EWOD device of the single-plate configuration was fabricated by several steps for the control electrode array of 1mmx1mm squares with 50μm space, the dielectric layer of 127nm thick ALD Al2O3, the reference electrode of 20μm wide line electrode, and the hydrophobic surface treatment by Teflon-AF coating, respectively. We observed the movement of a 2μl water droplet in an air environment, applying a voltage between one of the control electrodes and the reference electrode in contact with the droplet. Exponentially increasing droplet velocity with the applied voltage was obtained below 15V. The measured threshold voltage to move the droplet was as low as 3V which is the lowest voltage reported so far in the EWOD researches. This result opens a possibility of manipulating droplets, without any surfactant or oil treatment, at only a few volts by EWOD using ALD Al2O3 as the dielectric.

    Original languageEnglish
    Title of host publication2010 IEEE 5th International Conference on Nano/Micro Engineered and Molecular Systems, NEMS 2010
    Pages612-615
    Number of pages4
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 2010
    Event5th IEEE International Conference on Nano/Micro Engineered and Molecular Systems, NEMS 2010 - Xiamen, China
    Duration: 2010 Jan 202010 Jan 23

    Publication series

    Name2010 IEEE 5th International Conference on Nano/Micro Engineered and Molecular Systems, NEMS 2010

    Other

    Other5th IEEE International Conference on Nano/Micro Engineered and Molecular Systems, NEMS 2010
    Country/TerritoryChina
    CityXiamen
    Period10/1/2010/1/23

    Keywords

    • Aluminum oxide (AlO)
    • Atomic layer deposition (ALD)
    • Digital microfluidics
    • Electrowetting on dielectric (EWOD)
    • Single-plate configuration

    ASJC Scopus subject areas

    • Control and Systems Engineering
    • Electrical and Electronic Engineering

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