Aspects of time-optimal control of a particle in a Dielectrophoretic system

Abstract

The Dielectrophoretic (DEP) force arises as a result of the interaction between a nonuniform electric field and a neutrally charged particle. As the effect of the electric field is more dominant than other forces at the micro/nano scale, this force can be effectively used to manipulate and control particles on this scale. We consider the motion of a particle on an invariant line with the suspending medium being a fluid with low Reynolds number. The system is described by a set of ordinary differential equations with a quadratic term in the control variable (control being the applied voltage on the electrodes which induces the electric field) making the system non-affine. For this system, we address certain aspects of existence and uniqueness of the time-optimal trajectories. © 2011 IEEE.