ABSTRACT
In this work, we show how to design a novel capillary-pressure-based air pump (CAP) for nanoliter fluidic handling.
The CAP is designed to have the smallest channel height in the whole device and is linked with a deeper injection channel
by a connection chamber. The connection chamber is deepest and acts as an isolation structure and stop valve. Due to a high
capillary pressure produced by the liquid meniscus in a shallow microchannel network, the wetted CAP compresses the air
confined in it and creates driving pressure for pumping and metering liquid in the injection channel.