Surface acoustic wave (SAW) acoustophoresis: now and beyond

On-chip manipulation of micro-objects has long been sought to facilitate fundamental biological studies and point-of-care diagnostic systems. In recent years, research on surface acoustic wave (SAW) based micro-object manipulation (i.e., SAW acoustophoresis) has gained significant momentum due to its many advantages, such as non-invasiveness, versatility, simple fabrication, easy operation, and convenient integration with other on-chip units. SAW acoustophoresis is especially useful for lab-on-a-chip applications where a compact and non-invasive biomanipulation technique is highly desired. In this Focus article, we discuss recent advancements in SAW acoustophoresis and provide some perspectives on the future development of this dynamic field.