Surface acoustic wave manipulation of bioparticles

Abstract

The introduction of surface acoustic waves (SAWs) into lab-on-a-chip microfluidic systems has contributed to the development of a new cutting-edge technology—SAW-based micro/nano manipulation. Recently, the SAW technology has emerged as an important tool for manipulating micro/nano particles/cell populations by virtue of its simplicity, biocompatibility, non-invasiveness, scalability, and versatility. In custom-designed acoustic fields, this technology can be used to manipulate cells, bacteria, exosomes, and even worms precisely, and it has been used in applications such as biomedical and point-of-care diagnostic systems. In this review paper, we start by providing a comprehensive overview of the fundamental working principle and numerical simulation of SAW-based manipulation. Then, we introduce the recent advancements in the manipulation of organisms based on standing and traveling SAWs, including separation, concentration, and transport. At the end of the review, we discuss the current challenges to and future prospects of SAW-based manipulation. The conclusion is that the SAW technology will open up a new frontier in the microfluidics field and contribute significantly to the development of bioengineering research and applications.