Electrokinetically Active Nanowells

Abstract

In this research I developed a new form of microfluidic transport technique that exploits electrokinetic phenomena in discrete micro and nanometer sized wells. Through the use of these "Electroactive Nanowells", I have been able to demonstrate the reversible trapping of micro and nanoscale objects in discrete locations, enabled a new form of microfluidic memory and used a modified version of this technique to generate a wireless drug delivery system for the control of flying insects. The outcome of this research is threefold: First, it establishes a low power device that can increase the speed of traditional microwell screening techniques by four orders of magnitude in an easy to fabricate setup. The second outcome is the development of the first high density microfluidic memory, which can store up to 6 bits of material storage in single 200 nanometer wells; providing a 6 order magnitude increase in storage density over traditional microfluidic storage devices. Third, I exploited the essential transport physics of this approach to enable a wireless and implantable drug delivery system capable of dispensing various chemicals on demand; and applied it to the of chemically directed control of live micro air vehicles. Fourth, I present a flexible version of this drug delivery system by using only polymers in the fabrication process.