Low-Voltage Electrowetting on a Lipid Bilayer Formed on Hafnium Oxide
Abstract
We present a class of electrowetting systems in which lipid bilayers function as reversibly wettable dielectrics, eliminating the need for solid organic dielectrics (e.g. fluoropolymers) in electrowetting systems. These bilayers form spontaneously between water drops and hafnium oxide surfaces in oil and can withstand high electric fields, enabling high contact angle changes at unprecedentedly low voltages. We demonstrate that under well-defined conditions, these electrowetting systems are virtually free of contact angle saturation with low oil-water surface energies (<1 mJ/m^2), allowing for a reversible contact angle change from over 140 degrees to under 10 degrees using less than 1 V actuation.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 2011
- Accession Number
- ADA569966
Entities
People
- Behrouz Abedian
- Ingrid F. Guha
- Jakub Kedzierski
Organizations
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology