Dielectrophoresis for control of particle transport: Theory, electrode designs and applications

− Under non-uniform electric field, a directional force along the electric field gradient is applied to matter having permanent or induced dipoles. The transport of particles by the directional force is called dielectrophoresis (DEP). Since the strength and direction of the DEP force depend on parameters, such as permittivity and conductivity of particles and surrounding media, and frequency of the applied AC electric field, particle can be precisely manipulated by controlling the parameters. Moreover, unlike electrophoresis, DEP can be applied to any particles where dipole is effectively induced by electric field. Such a DEP technique has been used in various fields, ranging from microfluidic engineering to biosensor and microchip research. This paper first describes the fundamentals of DEP, and discusses representative microelectrode designs used for DEP study. Then, exemplary applications of DEP, such as separation, capture and self-assembly of particles, are introduced.