Surface acoustic wave driven micro-flows: Flow control and transport of finite size particles

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Peter Hänggi
• Subject Area: Experimental Condensed Matter Physics
• Term: from 2006 to 2011
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 24122039

The manipulation of small amounts of fluids and a detailed control of the flow patterns within the fluid are preconditions for a successful processing of biological and chemical materials on microfluidic devices known as labs-on-a-chip. Acoustic streaming caused by surface acoustic waves on piezoelectric substrates has proved to be an efficient and versatile method to generate flows in small fluid volumes. In contrast to well investigated pressure driven Poiseuille type shear flows in channels, the surface acoustic wave generated stream patterns are more complex and typically display one or more vortices. It is the goal of this project to utilize and improve these complex flow patterns and to investigate the transport properties of extended particles in such flow fields.

• DFG Programme: Priority Programmes
• Subproject of: SPP 1164: Nano- and Microfluidics: Bridging the Gap between Molecular Motion and Continuum Flow
• Participating Person: Professor Dr. Achim Wixforth