Quantum mechanics

Fabrication

Microfluidics

Microfluidic chip

Lab-on-a-chip

Materials science

Electrowetting

Electric field

Alternative medicine

Physics

Nanotechnology

Dielectric

Dielectrophoresis

Digital microfluidics

Medicine

Optoelectronics

Pathology

Micromachines

Dielectric particles in a non-uniform electric field are subject to a force caused by a phenomenon called dielectrophoresis (DEP). DEP is a commonly used technique in microfluidics for particle or cell separation. In comparison with other separation methods, DEP has the unique advantage of being label-free, fast, and accurate. It has been widely applied in microfluidics for bio-molecular diagnostics and medical and polymer research. This review introduces the basic theory of DEP, its advantages compared with other separation methods, and its applications in recent years, in particular, focusing on the different electrode types integrated into microfluidic chips, fabrication techniques, and operation principles.

DEP-on-a-Chip: Dielectrophoresis Applied to Microfluidic Platforms