Acoustic particle sorting by integrated micromachined ultrasound transducers on polymer-based microchips

The previously reported on-chip acoustic particle sorters mostly rely on high Q-value materials and elaborate geometry designs, which makes these devices not easy to build and unsuited for mass fabrication. In this work, we presented a novel two stage acoustic particle sorting approach with the advantages of operating on low-cost polymer-based microchips and using integrated micromachined ultrasound transducers. Results of the numerical analysis and finite element analysis (FEA) simulations indicated that particles with varying sizes can be separated in the standing wave field and laminar flow. Initial experimental results showed successful prefocusing of particles into one and three streams. This approach holds the potential for particle sorting in medical research and biotechnology, lowering the cost and simplifying the fabrication procedures.