A numerical analysis of forces imposed on particles in conventional dielectrophoresis in microchannels with interdigitated electrodes

This paper analyzes the forces, including the Stokes drag force induced by the electrothermal flow, imposed on the particles in conventional dielectrophoresis in microchannels with interdigitated electrodes through a two-dimensional mathematical model. The conditions for the positive and negative dielectrophoresis are revealed. The electrical field, the magnitude of the negative dielectrophoretic force and Stokes drag force are presented. The levitation heights for particles at different horizontal positions with and without considering the Stokes drag force are compared, and the effect of the particle radius for the levitation height is also analyzed.