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Updated: Feb 9, 2026
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Fabrication of Surface Acoustic Wave Devices on Lithium Niobate
Published on: June 18, 2020
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Continuous tuneable droplet ejection via pulsed surface acoustic wave jetting.
Jasmine O Castro1, Shwathy Ramesan, Amgad R Rezk
1School of Engineering, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC 3001, Australia. leslie.yeo@rmit.edu.au.
Soft Matter
|May 31, 2018
Summary
This study introduces a new platform for continuous liquid droplet production using surface acoustic waves (SAWs). This orifice-free method enables precise droplet size control and maintains cell viability for bioprinting applications.
Area of Science:
- Microfluidics
- Acoustic manipulation
- Biotechnology
Background:
- Conventional droplet jetting systems often suffer from clogging and limited droplet size control.
- Existing methods require specialized hardware for different droplet sizes, increasing complexity and cost.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a miniaturized platform for continuous, orifice-free droplet production.
- To demonstrate flexible control over droplet size and cell viability during jetting.
Main Methods:
- Interfacing a capillary-driven liquid feed with pulsed surface acoustic waves (SAWs).
- Utilizing pulse width duration to tune droplet diameter (60-500 μm).
- Demonstrating cell jetting with controlled density, including single cells.
Main Results:
- Achieved continuous droplet production without clogging issues.
- Successfully tuned droplet size by adjusting SAW pulse width.
- Confirmed high cell viability and proliferative capacity after jetting.
Conclusions:
- The developed SAW-based platform offers a versatile, clog-free solution for droplet generation.
- This technology enables precise control over droplet size and cell dispensing.
- Potential applications include cell encapsulation, dispensing, and 3D bioprinting.
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