Title :
A modular high density multi-channel dispenser for micro-array printing
Author :
Kuoni, A. ; Boillat, M. ; de Rooij, N.F.
Author_Institution :
Inst. of Microtechnol., Neuchatel Univ., Switzerland
Abstract :
A multi-channel dispenser for micro-array printing has been developed and characterized. We report the fabrication of the dispenser using flexible Polyimide substrate. Polyimide sheets have been dry etched to form /spl mu/-channels. These sheets are sealed with virgin Polyimide sheets by a thermal bonding process. Piezoelectric actuators have been glued onto the channels. 1-dimensional dispenser array has been stacked together to form a 2-dimensional printing array at a nozzle spacing of 500 /spl mu/m. The actuator displacement has been investigated by finite element analysis and by measurements during dispensing for different electrical pulse shapes. The drop formation is recorded with a standard video camera with stroboscope illumination. Droplets of 65 pL have been ejected in parallel at a speed of 2-3 m/s and up to a frequency of 5 KHz.
Keywords :
finite element analysis; jets; microactuators; nozzles; piezoelectric actuators; polymers; printing; sputter etching; /spl mu/-channels; 1-dimensional dispenser array; 2 to 3 m/s; 2-dimensional printing array; 5 kHz; 500 micron; droplets; dry etching; electrical pulse shapes; finite element analysis; flexible polyimide substrate; microarray printing; modular high density multichannel dispenser; nozzle spacing; piezoelectric actuators; polyimide sheets; stroboscope illumination; thermal bonding; Bonding processes; Dry etching; Electric variables measurement; Fabrication; Finite element methods; Piezoelectric actuators; Polyimides; Printing; Pulse measurements; Shape measurement;
Conference_Titel :
TRANSDUCERS, Solid-State Sensors, Actuators and Microsystems, 12th International Conference on, 2003
Conference_Location :
Boston, MA, USA
Print_ISBN :
0-7803-7731-1
DOI :
10.1109/SENSOR.2003.1215331
