Microfluidic resonant cavities enable acoustophoresis on a disposable superstrate

Abstract

We demonstrate surface acoustic wave (SAW) induced microparticle manipulation in a microstructured disposable glass-polymer composite superstrate, positioned on a piezoelectric substrate with a single, slanted SAW transducer. An excited SAW was coupled from the piezoelectric substrate into the superstrate, which acted as a transversal resonator structure. We show that the energy transmitted into the superstrate allowed acoustophoretic particle manipulation, while the wide frequency response of the SAW transducer enabled tuneable pressure distributions confined by the microchannel layout. The configuration provides a significant tolerance in positioning – making assembly easy.