Micro-particles in a Nanoliter Droplet Dispensed by a Pneumatic Dispensing System and Its Measurement

Abstract

This paper presents results for dispensing and measuring micro-particles using a pneumatic dispensing system. Particle-suspended liquid droplets were dispensed and analyzed quantitatively at various particle concentrations and applied pressures. By using a developed experimental setup, the number of particles and the particle volume ratio in sequentially dispensed droplets were measured. Hydrophilic and hydrophobic surfaces were tested to find a suitable surface for counting the number of particle. It was confirmed that the dispensed particles concentrated into the center of the droplet on the smooth CD surface after evaporation of liquid. As the applied positive pressure increased, the number of particles per droplet increased consistently and the volume fraction of particles remained constant.