Capacitive coupling synchronizes autonomous microfluidic oscillators

Abstract

Even identically designed autonomous microfluidic oscillators have deviceâ toâ device oscillation variability that arises due to inconsistencies in fabrication, materials, and operation conditions. This work demonstrates, experimentally and theoretically, that with appropriate capacitive coupling these microfluidic oscillators can be synchronized. The size and characteristics of the capacitive coupling needed and the range of input flow rate differences that can be synchronized are also characterized. In addition to deviceâ toâ device variability, there is also withinâ device oscillation noise that arises. An additional advantage of coupling multiple fluidic oscillators together is that the oscillation noise decreases. The ability to synchronize multiple autonomous oscillators is also a first step towards enhancing their usefulness as tools for biochemical research applications where multiplicate experiments with identical temporalâ stimulation conditions are required.