Figure 2.

Working principle of deterministic lateral displacement (DLD). (a) An array of pillars tilted with an angle splits a mixture of particles into different trajectories based on size. At the end of the array, the different-sized particles (green and red) exit at different lateral positions and are collected into different outlet reservoirs. (b) Simulated flow streams within a DLD array, showing zigzagging patterns. (c) Mechanism of sorting: steric interactions between particles and posts cause particles to change flow streams in a size-dependent manner that leads to separation. (d) In an electrokinetic DLD device, electrokinetic forces act on the particles in addition to the steric forces, modifying separations.