Thermocapillary manipulation of droplets using holographic beam shaping: Microfluidic pin ball

Maria Luisa Cordero (1) , D.R. Burnham (2, 3) , Charles N. Baroud (1) , D. Mcgloin (2)

1 LadHyX - Laboratoire d'hydrodynamique
2 Electronic Engineering and Physics Division, University of Dundee, Nethergate, Dundee DD1 4HN, United Kingdom
3 SUPA School of Physics and Astronomy [University of St Andrews]

We demonstrate that holographically generated optical patterns offer greater flexibility for the thermocapillary control of water droplets than Gaussian spots; droplets can be stopped in faster flows while using less optical intensity when the surface tension variations are created by line patterns instead of single spots. Further, experiments are performed making use of variable light patterns to achieve controlled droplet routing in a four-way cross microfluidic channel. Finally, multiple droplet storage is demonstrated as well as changing drop order. © 2008 American Institute of Physics.

Domains: Physics [physics]; Mechanics [physics]; Fluid mechanics [physics.class-ph]; Engineering Sciences [physics]; Mechanics [physics.med-ph]; Fluids mechanics [physics.class-ph]

Maria Luisa Cordero, D.R. Burnham, Charles N. Baroud, D. Mcgloin. Thermocapillary manipulation of droplets using holographic beam shaping: Microfluidic pin ball. Applied Physics Letters, 2008, 93 (3), pp.034107. ⟨10.1063/1.2952374⟩. ⟨hal-01022812⟩