Selective bioparticle retention and characterization in a chip-integrated confocal ultrasonic cavity

We demonstrate selective retention and positioning of cells or other bioparticles by ultrasonic manipulation in a microfluidic expansion chamber during microfluidic perfusion. The chamber is designed as a confocal ultrasonic resonator for maximum confinement of the ultrasonic force field at the chamber center, where the cells are trapped. We investigate the resonant modes in the expansion chamber and its connecting inlet channel by theoretical modeling and experimental verification during no-flow conditions. Furthermore, by triple-frequency ultrasonic actuation during continuous microfluidic sample feeding, a set of several manipulation functions performed in series is demonstrated: sample bypass--injection--aggregation and retention--positioning. Finally, we demonstrate transillumination microscopy imaging of ultrasonically trapped COS-7 cell aggregates.