US 11,717,818 B2
Focused acoustic radiation for the ejection of sub wavelength droplets
Richard G. Stearns, Soquel, CA (US)
Assigned to Labcyte Inc., San Jose, CA (US)
Filed by Labcyte Inc., San Jose, CA (US)
Filed on May 14, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/321,201.
Application 17/321,201 is a continuation of application No. 16/222,737, filed on Dec. 17, 2018, granted, now 11,033,895.
Application 16/222,737 is a continuation of application No. 14/041,156, filed on Sep. 30, 2013, granted, now 10,156,499, issued on Dec. 18, 2018.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/708,576, filed on Oct. 1, 2012.
Prior Publication US 2021/0268490 A1, Sep. 2, 2021
Int. Cl. H01J 49/04 (2006.01); B01L 3/02 (2006.01)
CPC B01L 3/0268 (2013.01) [H01J 49/0454 (2013.01); B01L 2200/0642 (2013.01); B01L 2200/141 (2013.01); B01L 2400/0436 (2013.01)] 23 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of creating a subwavelength droplet, the method comprising:
applying a first toneburst of focused acoustic radiation in a first acoustic beam to a fluid sample sufficient to raise a mound on a free surface of the fluid sample, the first toneburst having a first center frequency, and
applying a second toneburst of focused acoustic radiation in a second acoustic beam to the fluid sample sufficient to eject a first subwavelength droplet from the mound, the second toneburst having a second center frequency, wherein a droplet size distribution of a plurality of subwavelength droplets is controllable by controlling at least one of the first center frequency and the second center frequency.