The sorting of targeted cells in a sample is a cornerstone of healthcare diagnostics and therapeutics. This work focuses on the use of dielectrophoresis for the selective sorting of targeted bioparticles in a sample and how the lack of throughput has been one important practical challenge to its widespread practical implementation. Increasing the cross-sectional area of a channel can lead to higher flow rates and thus the capability to process a larger sample volume per unit of time. However, the required electric field gradient that is generated by polarized electrodes drastically decreases as one moves away from the electrodes. Hence, the scaling up of the channel cross section must be done asymmetrically. One desires a channel aspect ratio AR = height/width that is much smaller or much larger than 1. Since reducing footprint of the DEP device is important to ensure affordability, the use of channels with AR ≫ 1 is desired. This creates the challenge to fabricate electrodes on the sidewalls of multiple channels with AR ≫ 1, or a channel embedding an array of electrodes with a gap in between them with AR ≫ 1. This critical review first details the motivation for using three-dimensional (3D) DEP devices to improve throughput and then describes selected techniques that have been used to fabricate them. Techniques include electrodeposition, deep etching, thick-film photolithography, and co-fabrication. Electrode materials addressed include metals, silicon, carbon, PDMS-based composites as well as conductive polymers and fluids.

中文翻译：

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对可以在介电泳设备中实现更高通量的制造技术进行严格审查

样本中目标细胞的分类是医疗保健诊断和治疗的基石。这项工作的重点是使用介电泳对样品中的目标生物颗粒进行选择性分选，以及缺乏通量如何成为其广泛实际实施的一个重要实际挑战。增加通道的横截面积可以导致更高的流速，从而提高每单位时间处理更大样品体积的能力。然而，由极化电极产生的所需电场梯度会随着电极远离电极而急剧下降。因此，通道横截面的放大必须不对称地进行。需要通道纵横比AR= 远小于或远大于 1 的高度/宽度。由于减少 DEP 设备的占位面积对于确保可负担性很重要，因此需要使用AR ≫ 1 的通道。这带来了挑战，即在AR ≫ 1 的多个通道的侧壁上制造电极，或者使用AR嵌入电极阵列的通道，它们之间有间隙≫ 1. 这篇批判性评论首先详细介绍了使用三维 (3D) DEP 设备来提高吞吐量的动机，然后描述了已用于制造它们的选定技术。技术包括电沉积、深蚀刻、厚膜光刻和共同制造。涉及的电极材料包括金属、硅、碳、基于 PDMS 的复合材料以及导电聚合物和流体。