IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/nat/natcom/v16y2025i1d10.1038_s41467-024-55337-0.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Dynamically reconfigurable acoustofluidic metasurface for subwavelength particle manipulation and assembly

Author

Listed:
  • Sushruta Surappa

    (Stanford University)

  • Suraj Pavagada

    (Stanford University)

  • Fernando Soto

    (Stanford University)

  • Demir Akin

    (Stanford University)

  • Charles Wei

    (Georgia Institute of Technology)

  • F. Levent Degertekin

    (Georgia Institute of Technology)

  • Utkan Demirci

    (Stanford University)

Abstract

Particle manipulation plays a pivotal role in scientific and technological domains such as materials science, physics, and the life sciences. Here, we present a dynamically reconfigurable acoustofluidic metasurface that enables precise trapping and positioning of microscale particles in fluidic environments. By harnessing acoustic-structure interaction in a passive membrane resonator array, we generate localized standing acoustic waves that can be reconfigured in real-time. The resulting radiation force allows for subwavelength manipulation and patterning of particles on the metasurface at individual and collective scales, with actuation frequencies below 2 MHz. We further demonstrate the capabilities of the reconfigurable metasurface in trapping and enriching beads and biological cells flowing in microfluidic channels, showcasing its potential in high-throughput bioanalytical applications. Our versatile and biocompatible particle manipulation platform is suitable for applications ranging from the assembly of colloidal particles to enrichment of rare cells.

Suggested Citation

  • Sushruta Surappa & Suraj Pavagada & Fernando Soto & Demir Akin & Charles Wei & F. Levent Degertekin & Utkan Demirci, 2025. "Dynamically reconfigurable acoustofluidic metasurface for subwavelength particle manipulation and assembly," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 16(1), pages 1-10, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:16:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-024-55337-0
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-55337-0
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-024-55337-0
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1038/s41467-024-55337-0?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Eui-Sang Yu & Hyojin Lee & Sun-Mi Lee & Jiwon Kim & Taehyun Kim & Jongsu Lee & Chulki Kim & Minah Seo & Jae Hun Kim & Young Tae Byun & Seung-Chul Park & Seung-Yeol Lee & Sin-Doo Lee & Yong-Sang Ryu, 2020. "Precise capture and dynamic relocation of nanoparticulate biomolecules through dielectrophoretic enhancement by vertical nanogap architectures," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 11(1), pages 1-9, December.
    2. Ahmet F. Demirörs & Pramod P. Pillai & Bartlomiej Kowalczyk & Bartosz A. Grzybowski, 2013. "Colloidal assembly directed by virtual magnetic moulds," Nature, Nature, vol. 503(7474), pages 99-103, November.
    3. Kai Melde & Andrew G. Mark & Tian Qiu & Peer Fischer, 2016. "Holograms for acoustics," Nature, Nature, vol. 537(7621), pages 518-522, September.
    4. Avijit Barik & Yao Zhang & Roberto Grassi & Binoy Paulose Nadappuram & Joshua B. Edel & Tony Low & Steven J. Koester & Sang-Hyun Oh, 2017. "Graphene-edge dielectrophoretic tweezers for trapping of biomolecules," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 8(1), pages 1-9, December.
    5. Zhichao Ma & Kai Melde & Athanasios G. Athanassiadis & Michael Schau & Harald Richter & Tian Qiu & Peer Fischer, 2020. "Spatial ultrasound modulation by digitally controlling microbubble arrays," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 11(1), pages 1-7, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Yucheng Luo & Qiu Yin & Keke Chen & Zhaoyu Deng & Xiaozhou Liu & Yinning Zhou & Benpeng Zhu & Wenming Zhang & Zhichao Ma, 2025. "Superselective embolic particle guidance in vessel networks via shape-adaptive acoustic manipulation," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 16(1), pages 1-12, December.
    2. Ruoqin Zhang & Xichuan Zhao & Jinzhi Li & Di Zhou & Honglian Guo & Zhi-yuan Li & Feng Li, 2024. "Programmable photoacoustic patterning of microparticles in air," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-8, December.
    3. Mahdi Derayatifar & Mohsen Habibi & Rama Bhat & Muthukumaran Packirisamy, 2024. "Holographic direct sound printing," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-14, December.
    4. Yurou Jia & Suying Zhang & Xuan Zhang & Houyou Long & Caibin Xu & Yechao Bai & Ying Cheng & Dajian Wu & Mingxi Deng & Cheng-Wei Qiu & Xiaojun Liu, 2024. "Compact meta-differentiator for achieving isotropically high-contrast ultrasonic imaging," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-11, December.
    5. Liang Shen & Zhenhua Tian & Kaichun Yang & Joseph Rich & Jianping Xia & Neil Upreti & Jinxin Zhang & Chuyi Chen & Nanjing Hao & Zhichao Pei & Tony Jun Huang, 2024. "Joint subarray acoustic tweezers enable controllable cell translation, rotation, and deformation," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-11, December.
    6. Matthew Stein & Sam Keller & Yujie Luo & Ognjen Ilic, 2022. "Shaping contactless radiation forces through anomalous acoustic scattering," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-8, December.
    7. Alexia Campo Fonseca & Chaim Glück & Jeanne Droux & Yann Ferry & Carole Frei & Susanne Wegener & Bruno Weber & Mohamad El Amki & Daniel Ahmed, 2023. "Ultrasound trapping and navigation of microrobots in the mouse brain vasculature," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-14, December.
    8. Xiangxiang Zhang & Chao Li & Fukai Liu & Wei Mu & Yongshuo Ren & Boyu Yang & Xiaojun Han, 2022. "High-throughput production of functional prototissues capable of producing NO for vasodilation," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-11, December.
    9. Mohsen Habibi & Shervin Foroughi & Vahid Karamzadeh & Muthukumaran Packirisamy, 2022. "Direct sound printing," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-11, December.
    10. Zong-Lin Li & Kun Chen & Fei Li & Zhi-Jun Shi & Qi-Li Sun & Peng-Qi Li & Yu-Gui Peng & Lai-Xin Huang & Guang Yang & Hairong Zheng & Xue-Feng Zhu, 2023. "Decorated bacteria-cellulose ultrasonic metasurface," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-9, December.
    11. Z. A. Arnon & S. Piperno & D. C. Redeker & E. Randall & A. V. Tkachenko & H. Shpaisman & O. Gang, 2024. "Acoustically shaped DNA-programmable materials," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-8, December.
    12. Antoine Aubret & Quentin Martinet & Jeremie Palacci, 2021. "Metamachines of pluripotent colloids," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-9, December.
    13. Erqian Dong & Tianye Zhang & Jinhu Zhang & Xiaochun Su & Sichao Qu & Xin Ye & Zhanyuan Gao & Chengtian Gao & Jiangang Hui & Zhanxiang Wang & Nicholas X. Fang & Yu Zhang, 2025. "Soft Metalens for Broadband Ultrasonic Focusing through Aberration Layers," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 16(1), pages 1-13, December.
    14. Jakub Janiak & Yuyang Li & Yann Ferry & Alexander A. Doinikov & Daniel Ahmed, 2023. "Acoustic microbubble propulsion, train-like assembly and cargo transport," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-10, December.
    15. Christopher T. Ertsgaard & Minki Kim & Jungwon Choi & Sang-Hyun Oh, 2023. "Wireless dielectrophoresis trapping and remote impedance sensing via resonant wireless power transfer," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-9, December.
    16. Gan Wang & Piotr Nowakowski & Nima Farahmand Bafi & Benjamin Midtvedt & Falko Schmidt & Agnese Callegari & Ruggero Verre & Mikael Käll & S. Dietrich & Svyatoslav Kondrat & Giovanni Volpe, 2024. "Nanoalignment by critical Casimir torques," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-10, December.
    17. Mittal, Prateek & Christopoulos, Giorgos & Subramanian, Sriram, 2024. "Energy enhancement through noise minimization using acoustic metamaterials in a wind farm," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 224(C).

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:16:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-024-55337-0. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.nature.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.