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Microfluidic & nanofluidic technologies for chemistry, physics, biology, and bioengineering



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Paper

Lab Chip, 2009, 9, 2890 - 2895, DOI: 10.1039/b910595f

Acoustic tweezers: patterning cells and microparticles using standing surface acoustic waves (SSAW)

Jinjie Shi, Daniel Ahmed, Xiaole Mao, Sz-Chin Steven Lin, Aitan Lawit and Tony Jun Huang

Here we present an active patterning technique named acoustic tweezers that utilizes standing surface acoustic wave (SSAW) to manipulate and pattern cells and microparticles. This technique is capable of patterning cells and microparticles regardless of shape, size, charge or polarity. Its power intensity, approximately 5 × 105 times lower than that of optical tweezers, compares favorably with those of other active patterning methods. Flow cytometry studies have revealed it to be non-invasive. The aforementioned advantages, along with this technique's simple design and ability to be miniaturized, render the acoustic tweezers technique a promising tool for various applications in biology, chemistry, engineering, and materials science.

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