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Published on: April 26, 2014
Novel tuneable optical elements based on nanoparticle suspensions in microfluidics.
Aminuddin A Kayani1, Chen Zhang, Khashayar Khoshmanesh
1School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, RMIT University, Melbourne, Vic., Australia. aminuddin.kayani@rmit.edu.au
Electrophoresis
|March 24, 2010
Summary
Dielectrophoresis (DEP) controls silica nanoparticles in microfluidics to create tunable optical elements. This research paves the way for electrically controlled liquid optical waveguides.
Area of Science:
- Optofluidics
- Nanotechnology
- Microfluidics
Background:
- Microfluidic systems offer precise control over fluids and particles.
- Dielectrophoresis (DEP) is a technique used to manipulate non-uniform polarizable particles with non-uniform electric fields.
Purpose of the Study:
- To demonstrate the application of dielectrophoretic control of silica nanoparticles for creating tunable optical elements within a microfluidic system.
- To investigate the feasibility of DEP in optofluidic systems for dynamic optical waveguide formation.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a microfluidic channel with curved microelectrodes.
- Applied varying dielectrophoretic conditions (voltage, flow rate, frequency) to silica nanoparticles (230 and 450 nm).
- Analyzed particle concentration, deflection, and their impact on optical transmission.
Main Results:
- Successfully demonstrated DEP concentration and deflection of silica nanoparticles.
- Observed light confinement and scattering effects dependent on particle size and DEP parameters.
- Showcased the influence of particle distribution on optical transmission.
Conclusions:
- Dielectrophoretic control of silica nanoparticles is feasible for creating tuneable optical elements in microfluidic systems.
- This work represents a significant advancement towards electrically controlled liquid optical waveguides.
