Perfect boundaries in particle separation arrays through automated iterative geometry

In the past few decades micro-fluidic separation devices have become more prominent in the world of particle and cell separation. Particularly in the last few years such devices have seen an increased spotlight in the public eye with companies like Theranos claiming to have accurate, cheap and portable blood analysis tools. This paper will focus on the micro-fluidic separation technique known as DLD ( deterministic lateral displacement) and attempt to solve a major issue with DLD arrays. The quality of fluid flow through the boundaries of DLD arrays is not ideal, leading to issues with concentrations of particles along these boundaries. A solution was achieved through the use of MATLAB and COMSOL 3.5a, in which two DLD arrays were constructed using previous literature as a basis. These arrays were then modified using a looping set of code which provides feedback into the system based on a number of quality factors which are compared to and approach ideal theoretical values. The adjusted arrays were then compared to the initial arrays and the quantity of flow throughout the arrays was then examined and discussed. This document provides a source of introductory information on DLD, provides a solution to the issue highlighted, and further provides a discussion of the effectiveness of this solution in the rectification of this problem.