Noise-differential based detection of cells on a microelectronic sensor/actuator array

We present a new method to count cells on a microelectonic lab-on-a-chip integrating an array of Dielectrophoretic (DEP) cages and embedded optical sensors. Cells are trapped by DEP cages above photodiodes measuring the optical near field. The presence of cells is measured indirectly by the increase in noise power in sensors underlying cells. Compared to previously methods, this approach, achieves a 0% error on experimental test runs with 100 cages. The method is inherently insensitive on spatial gradients of illumination and on Fixed Pattern Noise from the embedded photdiodes array. This approach opens up the possibility to count cells in a flow-less portable system without complex external optical add-ons or microscopes.