Review of Dielectrophoretic Manipulation of Micro and Nanomaterials: Fundamentals, Recent Developments, and Challenges

This paper reviews the state-of-the-art methods of dielectrophoresis for micro- and nanomaterial manipulation. Dielectrophoresis is a well-known technique for material manipulation using a nonuniform electric field. This field can apply a force to dielectric materials and move them toward a predefined location. Controlling the pattern of the electric field and its intensity, achieved by a specific arrangement of electrodes or insulators, along with the dielectric properties of the materials allows a variety of manipulation functions including trapping, separation, and transportation. The development of microfabrication techniques has significantly improved the research quality in the field of dielectrophoresis for precisely manipulating micro and nanomaterials. Later, the advent of microfluidic devices provided an excellent platform for reliable and practical devices. Modifying the shape, geometry, and material of the electrodes, isolating the electrodes from the sample, incorporating a particular arrangement of insulators within the electric field, and monitoring the operation in situ are some of the methods utilized for overcoming common problems in dielectrophoretic devices or the problems associated with a specific sample and the manipulation function. The goal of the research in this field is to design practical, high throughput, and inexpensive devices that reliably manipulate micro and nanomaterials. Accordingly, this review aims to represent latest findings and advancements in the field of dielectrophoresis. In particular, the working principles, technical implementation details, current status, and the issues and challenges of dielectrophoretic devices for electrode-based and insulator-based dielectrophoresis in terms of operation and fabrication are discussed.