Selective manipulation of microparticles using polymer-based optically induced dielectrophoretic devices

This manuscript presents an approach for selective manipulation of microparticles using polymer-based optically induced dielectrophoretic (ODEP) devices. A thin film of a bulk-heterojunction polymer [a mixture of regioregular poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and [6,6]-phenyl C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM)] is used as a light active layer. The ODEP force is generated by "virtual" electrodes (the optical images) created from a computer-programmable projector to manipulate polystyrene particles. The magnitude of the ODEP force is found to be dependant on the color of illumination light, due to the variation of the absorption coefficient in the P3HT:PCBM film. A noncontact approach is then demonstrated to separate or collect the polymer particles by shrinking one of the two light rings with different colors and diameters. The development of this promising platform may provide a cost-effective approach for ODEP applications.