Droplet Oscillation as an Arbitrary Waveform Generator

Oscillating droplets and bubbles have been developed into a novel experimental platform for a wide range of analytical and biological applications, such as digital microfluidics, thin film, biophysical simulation, and interfacial rheology. A central effort of developing any droplet-based experimental platform is to increase the effectiveness and accuracy of droplet oscillations. Here, we developed a novel system of droplet-based arbitrary waveform generator (AWG) for feedback-controlling single-droplet oscillations. This AWG was developed through closed-loop axisymmetric drop shape analysis and based on the hardware of constrained drop surfactometry. We have demonstrated the capacity of this AWG in oscillating the volume and surface area of a millimeter-sized droplet to follow four representative waveforms, sine, triangle, square, and sawtooth. The capacity of oscillating the surface area of a droplet across the frequency spectrum makes the AWG an ideal tool for studying interfacial rheology. The AWG was used to determine the surface dilational modulus of a commonly studied nonionic surfactant, dodecyldimethylphosphine oxide. The droplet-based AWG developed in this study is expected to achieve accuracy, versatility, and applicability in a wide range of research areas, such as thin film and interfacial rheology.