Optimal design of microgrooved channels with electrokinetic pumping for lab-on-a-chip applications

Various electrokinetic phenomena in microfluidics have been utilised to manipulate microfluids and particles for lab-on-a-chip applications. Microfluidic channels with traditional planar floor configuration designs have limited pumping efficiency due to the fast backward flow over the electrode surface. This study reports optimal design of a microchannel with a microgrooved configuration for conductive fluid transport with alternating current electrothermal actuations. Significant improvements in flowrate are achieved over the planar configurations without additional temperature rises. The frequency and temperature dependences of AC electrothermal (ET) flow are investigated and analysed.