Microbubble and microplasma manipulations for gas analyses

For the first time, we demonstrate the manipulations of microbubble and excitation of microplasma within a 200 nL microbubble in an inert oil environment using dielectrophoresis (DEP). Microbubble generation, transportation, and mixing were examined to prepare various microbubbles with tunable gas compositions further analyzed by optical emission spectrum (OES) of the excited and DEP-driven microplasma from the prepared 200 nL microbubble. Here, microbubbles containing helium, argon and their mixtures were ignited to the plasma state on one of the electrodes where a breakdown voltage applied. Characteristic peaks of helium, argon, and the mixtures were found and analyzed.